DNS Record Types Explained: A Practical Guide

When you type a domain name into your browser’s address bar and hit Enter, you activate a special communication system known as the domain name system (DNS). This system translates your text into an IP address, which is a special code your browser uses to connect to the site you’re looking for. To make that happen, machines and DNS servers have to locate a file, known as a DNS record, that holds the details on how to handle the website you requested.

DNS records store different kinds of information, depending on their type, and each type serves a specific purpose. In this guide, we’ll explain what DNS records are, the most common record types, and why they’re a crucial part of the internet’s infrastructure.

What Are DNS Records?

A domain name system record, usually just called a DNS record, is a file that contains information and instructions needed to link domain names to numerical IP addresses stored in DNS servers. It tells browsers what you’re looking for and holds the key details that make communication possible between you and the web servers behind the scenes. If you have a website, you need a DNS record to keep it running smoothly.

A good way to understand the DNS system is to think of it like your smartphone’s contacts app. Every time you want to call a friend – the domain address in this analogy – you don’t type in their phone number, which would be the IP address. Instead, you just type their name, and your contacts app – the DNS system – pulls up their contact card with their number and maybe even their email. That contact card is basically a DNS record.

Each DNS record is a text-based file that follows a specific DNS syntax structure, called a zone file, and responds to DNS queries. When all this information is organized correctly, it lets computer systems communicate and load the website you want to visit. However, even though all DNS records follow the same general framework, they don’t all look alike, and they don’t all work the same way.

How DNS Records Work

The way DNS systems access DNS records is a bit complicated, but in simple terms, a DNS system escalates requests until they reach the correct DNS record to give you an answer.

So, whenever you type the name of the domain you want to visit, you generate a request. Then, your computer starts asking different DNS servers – following a specific hierarchy – until it finds the DNS record that contains the information for that web address. Once it finds the right record, your browser uses the instructions in that file to route your browser request to the IP address of the URL you typed.

A Closer Look At The Process

The first place your browser looks when you enter a domain name is its own DNS cache. If you’ve visited the site before and it still has that information stored, it’ll take you there immediately. If not, it checks your operating system’s cache. If it’s not there, either, your browser turns to a recursive resolver, like Google’s public DNS service by “calling” its popular IP address: 8.8.8.8.

If Google’s server – or any other recursive resolver – doesn’t have the answer, your browser has to ask other servers, in a specific order, until one provides the information required: root name servers, then TLD servers, and finally authoritative name servers.

The Most Common DNS Record Types

There are many different kinds of DNS records. Some are rarely used, while others are used on a daily basis. Here are the most common types of DNS records and their applications:

1. A Record: IPv4 Address Record

An Address Record, most often known as just an A record, is used to connect domains to IPv4 addresses. It’s the most common DNS record because IPv4 is still the most widely used IP protocol in the world. The file itself is simple and straightforward, and many other DNS records depend on A records to work.

It was introduced in 1987, and it remains a crucial part of the internet structure, as most active domains have an A record. A simple A record can look like this:

Domain	Record type	IPv4
example.org	A	198.51.100.0

2. AAAA Record: IPv6 Address Record

An AAAA record, also called a “quad A record,” works almost the same way as an A record, but instead of an IPv4 address, it links domains to IPv6 addresses. When A records were first created, IPv6 addresses didn’t exist yet, so this type of DNS record was introduced later. 

A quad A record stores IPv6 addresses associated with a domain, along with a time-to-live (TTL) value in seconds – which is the time estimated for a server to refresh the DNS record information. TTLs are also included in other DNS record types. 

Domain	TTL	Record type	IPv6
example.org	600	AAAA	2001:db8:abcd:1234::5

3. CNAME Record: Canonical Name

A Canonical Name record, popularly known as CNAME record, is used to link A records and quad A records to subdomains. CNAME records are frequently used to redirect addresses, like “www.example.org” and “example.org,” to the same website.

Using CNAME records makes it easier to manage and update your site, since you can point multiple subdomains to one main record. A basic CNAME setup looks like this:

Subdomain	TTL	Record type	Domain (target)
www.example.org	3600	CNAME	example.org

4. MX Records: Mail Exchangers

A mail exchanger record, or MX record, connects email addresses to a domain’s mail server. MX records are crucial for email services. Every time you send an email, an MX record is consulted to determine which mail server is supposed to receive it. 

It can look like this, including a priority or preference value that acts as a delivery order for the server: 

Subdomain	Record type	Priority	Domain (mail server)	TTL
www.example.org	MX	10	mail.example.org	3600

5. TXT Records: Text Records

Text records, descriptive texts, or TXT records, arefiles that store extra information about subdomains and domains. This type of DNS record also acts as an official source to help receiving servers verify data and filter out spam. 

A text record can contain different kinds of useful notes, such as email authority information or domain verification:

Subdomain	Record type	TTL	Text
example.org	TXT	3600	v=spf1 ip4:192.0.2.10 ip4:203.0.113.25 -all

6. NS Records: Name Server

A name server, or NS record, is another type of DNS record thattells your browser which DNS servers are officially responsible for your domain. It delegates authority and points your browser to the best source for answering any queries related to your domain.

Subdomain	Record type	TTL	Server
example.org	NS	3600	ns1.exampledns.com

7. PTR Record: Pointer Record

A pointer record, also known as a PTR record, does a similar job to the A and AAAA records, but in the opposite direction. This type of DNS record says which IP address is connected to your domain, and this information can only be created or changed by the organisation that controls the IP address. PTR records are used for reverse DNS lookups, a common practice for verifying authenticity and spotting potential spam.

IP Address	Record type	TTL	Hostname
203.0.113.45	PTR	3600	server.example.org

8. SOA record: Start of Authority

A start of authority, or SOA record, contains essential administrative information about your domain’s management. It identifies the primary name server for the domain and provides contact information for the DNS administrator, as well as rules for how other DNS servers should handle updates and refresh the settings.

Subdomain	TTL	Record type	Server
example.org	3600	SOA	ns1.example.org. admin.example.org. (2025010101 ; Serial 3600; Refresh (1 hour) 600; Retry (10 minutes) 1209600; Expire (14 days) 3600; Minimum TTL (1 hour))

Other types of DNS Records

There’s no official number for how many types of DNS records are active out there in the wild web, just dozens that have been identified, categorized, and that are frequently used. These files have been designed to evolve. However, after a certain time, and with the development of new technologies, some of them become obsolete. 

Along with the most common DNS record types mentioned, there are other types that you might encounter when you’re managing your website or researching more on DNS systems. Some of them have very specific purposes. For example, an SRV record, which is used by applications to find endpoints, or a CAA record, which hosts information on certificate authorities that are allowed to issue certificates for your domain, and is checked when you issue an SSL certificate. 

How to Find DNS Records

There are several methods and tools you can use to look up DNS records. For example, on Windows, you can use the nslookup utility or Resolve-DNSName command to learn about DNS records associated with a domain.  

Through an nslookup command, you can find multiple types of DNS records, including CNAME, A, AAAA, MX, TXT, and SOA records. You can also identify which server hosts these DNS records. 

Another popular DNS tool is the DIG command, which is usually installed on Macs and Linux systems. DIG can find A records for the URLs you type in to the interface.

You can also use online tools such as ​​DNSChecker.org or nslookup.io, which offer user-friendly platforms where you can type the domain name and search for available DNS records.

Finally, if you have access to the control panel for your domain and hosting service, you can also see, edit, and manage DNS records directly. 

How to Manage DNS Records

To manage DNS records, you need access to the DNS provider tools and servers that control them. The most common way to do this is through your domain registrar or hosting provider. Once you’re logged in, look for the DNS settings. From there, you can add, delete, or edit DNS records and save your changes. 

You can also use tools such as Windows PowerShell if you are working with a Windows DNS server. And, depending on the DNS provider, it could take either just a few minutes or hours for the changes to synchronize online. 

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