What is DNS? The address lookup behind a website.
A plain-English explanation of how a domain name becomes a connection to a server.
On this page
DNS stands for Domain Name System. It helps software find information associated with a domain name, including addresses used to connect to services.
A name is easier to remember
People use names such as example.com. Network connections use addresses. DNS provides records that help bridge the two, although a real website visit also involves additional steps such as establishing a secure connection.
A resolver looks up the answer
Your device typically asks a DNS resolver for an answer. If the answer is not already cached, the resolver can query other DNS servers to locate the authoritative information.
Caching means repeated requests do not always require the full lookup process.
Records have different jobs
A and AAAA records provide IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. CNAME records alias one name to another. MX records identify mail servers. TXT records hold text used for several purposes, including domain verification and email authentication.
Changing a website record does not replace your email configuration.
Why updates are not always instant
Cached records have a time-to-live value. Different resolvers may still hold previous answers while caches expire. The timing depends on those records, caches, and the nature of the change.
DNS is one part of troubleshooting
A DNS error can prevent a site from loading, but so can a service outage or local connection problem. Compare other websites and devices before assuming DNS is responsible.
If you are setting up a site, read the distinction between a domain and hosting.