What is a DNS resource record?

Labs

Want to see this concept in action?

NEW

Explore this concept interactively to see how it behaves as you change inputs.

View Labs

Key Concepts

Domain Name System (DNS)

The Domain Name System is a hierarchical, decentralized naming system used to translate human-friendly domain names into IP addresses. It enables users to access internet resources using words instead of numeric addresses, making the web more accessible and navigable.

DNS Resource Record

A DNS resource record is a fundamental data entry in the DNS that holds specific information about a domain or subdomain. It typically contains fields such as the domain name, time-to-live (TTL) indicating how long the record is valid, record type which defines the nature of the data, and the actual data value. This structure allows DNS resolvers to retrieve and interpret domain-related data efficiently.

Record Types

Record types determine the function of a DNS resource record by specifying what kind of data is being stored, such as mapping a domain name to an IP address (A or AAAA records), directing email to a mail server (MX records), or providing aliases for domain names (CNAME records). They are essential for the proper operation of the DNS, ensuring that different types of queries are handled correctly.

Please give Ace some feedback