DNS Record Types Explained

Introduction

DNS (Domain Name System) translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses. Understanding the different record types is essential for properly configuring your domain.

A Record

Maps a domain name to an IPv4 address. This is the most fundamental DNS record.

example.com.    IN  A  198.51.100.10

AAAA Record

Maps a domain name to an IPv6 address:

example.com.    IN  AAAA  2001:db8::1

CNAME Record

Creates an alias that points to another domain name. Useful for subdomains:

www.example.com.    IN  CNAME  example.com.

Note: CNAME cannot coexist with other records for the same name, and should never be used at the zone apex (bare domain).

MX Record

Specifies mail servers responsible for receiving email. Priority (lower = higher priority) determines the order:

example.com.    IN  MX  10  mail1.example.com.
example.com.    IN  MX  20  mail2.example.com.

TXT Record

Stores arbitrary text data. Commonly used for SPF, DKIM, and domain verification:

example.com.    IN  TXT  "v=spf1 mx a ~all"

NS Record

Delegates a domain to specific nameservers:

example.com.    IN  NS  ns1.provider.com.
example.com.    IN  NS  ns2.provider.com.

SRV Record

Specifies the location of services (port and host):

_sip._tcp.example.com.  IN  SRV  10 60 5060 sipserver.example.com.

PTR Record

Reverse DNS — maps an IP address back to a domain name. Essential for email deliverability.