A complete guide to DNS record types. Learn what each record type does, when to use it, and see real-world examples.
Maps a domain name to an IPv4 address
Maps a domain name to an IPv6 address
Creates an alias that points to another domain name
Specifies the mail servers responsible for receiving email
Stores arbitrary text data, commonly used for verification and email authentication
Specifies the authoritative DNS servers for a domain
Contains administrative information about the DNS zone
Specifies which certificate authorities can issue SSL certificates
Specifies the location of servers for specific services
Maps an IP address to a domain name (reverse DNS)
DNS (Domain Name System) records are instructions that tell DNS servers how to handle requests for a domain. Different record types serve different purposes - from mapping domain names to IP addresses (A records) to routing email (MX records) to verifying domain ownership (TXT records).
Properly configured DNS records are essential for your website, email, and online services to work correctly. Click on any record type above to learn more about how it works and when to use it.