A DNS (Domain Name System) record is an entry in a DNS database that maps a domain name to an IP address or other resource. DNS records are used to direct internet traffic to the correct servers.
Typically, you can manage your DNS records via your domain registrar. Your domain registrar is the business (like Namecheap) that you purchased your domain name from.
Here are some common types of DNS records and their uses:
- A Record: Maps a domain name to an IPv4 address.
Example: “www.example.com” points to “192.0.2.1” - AAAA Record: Maps a domain name to an IPv6 address.
Example: “www.example.com” points to “2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334” - CNAME Record: Maps an alias domain to another domain name.
Example: “alias.example.com” points to “www.example.com” - MX Record: Specifies the mail server responsible for accepting email on behalf of a domain.
Example: “example.com” mail is handled by “mail.example.com” - TXT Record: Provides additional text information for a domain, often used for email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
Example: “example.com” has a TXT record containing “v=spf1 include:_spf.example.com ~all”
DNS records are essential for the functioning of the internet, as they allow domain names to be resolved to the appropriate IP addresses, enabling users to access websites and services using human-readable names instead of numerical IP addresses.