DNS stands for Domain Name System. It’s essentially the internet’s phone book — it translates human-readable domain names (like yoursite.com) into IP addresses (like 192.168.1.1) that computers use to find each other. Without DNS, you’d have to memorize a string of numbers to visit every website.
How DNS Works
- You type a domain into your browser
- Your browser asks a DNS resolver: what’s the IP for this domain?
- The resolver checks DNS records and returns the IP address
- Your browser connects to that IP and loads the site
Common DNS Record Types
- A record — points your domain to an IPv4 address (your server)
- AAAA record — same but for IPv6
- CNAME — points one domain to another domain (alias)
- MX record — directs email for your domain to the right mail servers
- TXT record — holds text data, often used for domain verification and email security (SPF, DKIM)
- NS record — tells the internet which name servers manage your domain’s DNS
DNS Propagation
When you change DNS records, it takes time for those changes to spread across the internet. This is called propagation and can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours, though usually much faster.
Related: Domain Name
