Domain Name System (DNS) records are like entries in a phonebook. They hold vital info that connects devices and servers, matching the right sites to the right domain names. Typically, DNS records help translate domain names (example.com) into IP addresses (e.g. 192.168.1.1), fetching the right website — you type a domain, DNS finds the right IP address, and now you’re browsing. But different records do different things, so let’s take a look at how each functions:
A Record (Address Record)
The A record maps a domain name to a specific IPv4 address. For example, if you have a website at example.com, the A record will specify the server’s IP address where the website is hosted.
AAAA Record (IPv6 Address Record)
Similar to an A record but for IPv6 addresses, which are the next-generation internet addresses.
MX Record (Mail Exchange Record)
Specifies mail servers responsible for receiving emails for a domain. If your email is hosted on example.com, MX records determine which servers handle incoming messages.
CNAME Record (Canonical Name Record)
Allows one domain to be an alias for another. For example, if you have www.example.com and example.com, a CNAME record can point www.example.com to example.com so that both resolve to the same destination.
CNAME can also work as ALIAS record. Read more here.
SRV Record (Service Record)
Defines the location of specific services, such as VoIP or messaging services, by specifying hostname, port, and priority.
TXT Record (Text Record)
Stores textual information for various uses, including domain verification and security settings like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
CAA Record (Certification Authority Authorization)
Specifies which certificate authorities (CAs) are allowed to issue SSL certificates for a domain, helping to prevent unauthorized certificates.
NS Record (Name Server Record)
Indicates which name servers are authoritative for a domain. Each domain usually has multiple NS records for redundancy and reliability.
PTR Record (Pointer Record)
Used for reverse DNS lookups, resolving an IP address to a domain name. This is often used in email validation and security measures.
TLSA Record (Transport Layer Security Authentication)
Used with DANE (DNS-Based Authentication of Named Entities) to associate TLS certificates with domain names, enhancing security.
SVCB Record (Service Binding Record)
Optimizes service discovery by providing information about available services, improving connection performance and security.
HTTPS Record (HTTPS-Specific Service Binding Record)
A specialized version of SVCB for HTTPS services, helping browsers and applications optimize secure connections.