# DNS Record Types Explained

# INTRODUCTION TO DNS

### 🌐 What Happens When You Type a Website Name in a Browser?

When you type a website name in your browser, something interesting happens behind the scenes.

To open a website, the browser needs **data**.  
Sometimes this data is already available in the **cache**, so the site loads instantly.  
But other times, the browser must **request the data from a server**.

The problem is — the browser doesn’t know **where the server is** or **which server to talk to**.  
There are **billions of servers** on the internet, and the browser has no direct way to identify the correct one.

And there’s an even bigger problem:  
Humans are good at remembering **names**, not **numbers**.

Servers are identified using **IP addresses** (numbers), which can be difficult to remember.  
That’s why every server IP is **mapped to a domain name**, so instead of remembering numbers, we only remember **names**.

To find the correct IP address for a domain name, the browser relies on **DNS**.

---

### 📖 What is DNS?

**DNS (Domain Name System)** maps a **domain name to an IP address**, allowing the browser to locate the correct server.

Simply put:

> **DNS is the phonebook of the Internet.**

Want to know more about it? Try this →

# DNS RECORDS AND THEIR NEED

DNS record - It is made up of two words, DNS and record. We understand that we are talking about the record. So, what is a record?

> A record = one unit of data that stores specific information.

A **DNS record** is a piece of information stored in DNS that tells the Internet **how to handle a domain name**.

It tells things like:

* Where the website server is
    
* Where emails should go
    
* Who manages the domain?
    
* Which domain points to which name
    

If there is no record, who will answer these questions?  
This is the reason we need a DNS record.

# TYPES OF DNS RECORD

## NS Record

NS stands for **Name Server.**  
An NS record tells the Internet :

> Who is responsible for managing the DNS records of a domain?

For example:

| [**example.com**](http://example.com) | **record type:** | **value:** | **TTL** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| @ | NS | ns1.exampleserver.com | 21600 |

NS always points to the authoritative server, not an alias. That is why an NS record can never point to a CNAME record.

## A Record

**A** stands for **Address.**  
An **A** record maps a domain name to the **IPv4 address**. You might be thinking what is IPv4?  
You’re like, we already know what the IP address is. But What is IPv4?

Simple IPv4 is Internet Protocol version 4, this version use 32 bit protocol that assign IP address to your device. But if a website has an IPv6 address, it will instead use an **“AAAA“ record.**

> A record = domain → server IP

To get the IP address in IPv4 format, we use an A record.

**EX:-**

> [example.com](http://example.com) A 192.168.1.1

## **AAAA Record**

**AAAA** stands for **Address(IPv6).**  
An **AAAA record** maps a **domain name to an IPv6 address**. Now your question is, what is IPv6?

IPv6 - Internet Protocol version 6, this version use 128 bit protocol that assign IP address to your device.

**Ex:-**

> [example.com](http://example.com) AAAA 2001:db8:85a3::8a2e:370:7334

## **CNAME Record**

**CNAME** stands for **Canonical Name**.

A **CNAME record** maps **one domain name to another domain name**.

In simple words:

> **CNAME = name → name (alias system)**

**Ex:-**

> [www.example.com](http://www.example.com) CNAME [example.com](http://example.com)

A **CNAME record cannot exist with other records** on the same name  
(No A, MX, NS, TXT on the same domain label). **What does that mean?**

**Ex:-**

> [example.com](http://example.com) CNAME [site.com](http://site.com)
> 
> [example.com](http://example.com) A 192.168.1.1

This is wrong because the same domain is used for an alias and for a real identity.  
So a valid DNS setup is:-

**Pure-alias:-**

> [blog.example.com](http://blog.example.com) CNAME [example.com](http://example.com)

or **Real Identity:-**

> [example.com](http://example.com) A 192.168.1.1
> 
> [example.com](http://example.com) MX [mail.example.com](http://mail.example.com)

That means a domain name can be **either**:

* a real identity (A, MX, TXT, NS...)
    
* **or** an alias (CNAME)
    

It cannot be both.

## MX Record

**MX** stands for **Mail Exchange**.

An **MX record** tells the internet:

> **Where emails for a domain should be delivered.**

In simple words:

> **MX record = domain → mail server**

**Ex:-**

| **example.com** | **record type:** | **priority:** | **value:** | **TTL** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| @ | MX | 10 | mailhost1.example.com | 45000 |
| @ | MX | 20 | mailhost2.example.com | 45000 |

MX records use **priority values** to decide:

> **Which mail server should be used first**, and  
> **Which server should act as backup**?

## TXT Record

**TXT** stands for **Text**.

A **TXT record** stores **extra text-based information** about a domain.

In simple words:

> **TXT record = extra instructions + verification info**

Ex:-

| **example.com** | **record type:** | **value:** | **TTL** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| @ | TXT | "This is an awesome domain! Definitely not spammy." | 32600 |

TXT records are used for:

* Domain ownership verification
    
* Google Search Console
    
* SSL verification
    
* Email security (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
    
* Service authentication
    

# 🧩How all DNS records work together for one website

A website never uses a **single** DNS record; it uses multiple DNS records. Each record solve there problem solves a different problem.  
Let’s take one domain as an example:  
[`mywebsite.com`](http://mywebsite.com)

```bash
NS    → ns1.cloudflare.com
A     → mywebsite.com → 34.120.10.5
AAAA  → mywebsite.com → IPv6 address
CNAME → www.mywebsite.com → mywebsite.com
MX    → mail.mywebsite.com (priority system)
TXT   → verification + email security
```

When a user searches [`mywebsite.com`](http://mywebsite.com), the DNS lookup process begins.

First, DNS uses the **NS record** to find the root server responsible for the `.com` domain.  
This tells the system **which DNS server manages the domain**.

Then, to locate the actual server:

* The browser uses the **A record** to get the **IPv4 address** of the server that stores the data of [`mywebsite.com`](http://mywebsite.com).
    
* If the network uses IPv6, the browser uses the **AAAA record** to get the **IPv6 address**.
    

Now, users may type:

* [`mywebsite.com`](http://mywebsite.com)
    
* [`www.mywebsite.com`](http://www.mywebsite.com)
    

Both point to the same website because of the **CNAME record**, which maps:

```bash
www.mywebsite.com → mywebsite.com
```

So both names load the same server.

If someone sends an email to the domain:

```bash
user@mywebsite.com
```

The **MX record** decides:

> Where the email should go  
> Which mail server should receive it  
> How mail routing happens

For domain verification, service authentication, and email security, the website uses **TXT records**.