What is DNS?
The Domain Name System, also known as DNS, refers to the large-scale system of information containing IP addresses, domain names, hosting, and other registration information across every site on the internet.
Like a phone book, the DNS translates domain names to IP addresses and helps locate a website on the internet.
Why is it important?
Computers and other devices on the internet use IP addresses to route your request to access a website.
Without DNS, you will have to remember complex IP addresses in accessing your site.
Before this system was created, the only way people could access your website would be by typing in its IP address. Sounds complicated, right? Because of DNS, people only need to remember your domain name when searching your website through their browsers.
What are DNS records?
DNS records act as instructions for the DNS server, so it knows which domain names each IP address is associated with.
DNS records contain a lot of different syntax and commands for how the server should respond to the request.
Here are the common DNS records you will find in your control panel.
- Name servers
- A record
- CNAME record
- MX record
- TXT record
- SRV record
- PTR record
- AAAA record
