DNS Record Types

DNS records are instructions stored in DNS servers that tell the internet how to handle requests for your domain. Each record type serves a specific purpose, from pointing to IP addresses to routing email.

A Record (Address Record)

Maps a domain to an IPv4 address

Purpose

The most common DNS record type. Points a domain or subdomain to an IPv4 address (like 192.0.2.1).

Example

example.com
A
192.0.2.1
TTL: 3600

Use Cases

• Pointing domain to web server
• Connecting subdomain to IP
• Load balancing (multiple A records)
• CDN endpoint configuration

AAAA Record (IPv6 Address)

Maps a domain to an IPv6 address

Purpose

Similar to A record, but for IPv6 addresses (like 2001:db8::1). Essential for IPv6 support.

Example

example.com
AAAA
2001:db8::1
TTL: 3600

Use Cases

• IPv6-only websites
• Dual-stack hosting (IPv4 + IPv6)
• Future-proofing infrastructure

CNAME Record (Canonical Name)

Creates an alias pointing to another domain

Purpose

Points a domain or subdomain to another domain name instead of an IP address. Acts as a "nickname" or alias.

Example

www.example.com
CNAME
example.com
TTL: 3600

Use Cases

• Pointing www to root domain
• CDN configuration (pointing to CDN domain)
• Subdomain aliases
• ⚠ Cannot use CNAME on root domain (use A record instead)

MX Record (Mail Exchange)

Specifies mail servers for email delivery

Purpose

Tells email servers where to deliver emails for your domain. Includes a priority value (lower = higher priority).

Example

example.com
MX
10 mail.example.com
TTL: 3600
Priority: 10, Server: mail.example.com

Use Cases

• Receiving email for domain
• Multiple mail servers (priority-based)
• Email hosting (Gmail, Outlook, etc.)
• Email forwarding configuration

TXT Record (Text Record)

Stores text-based information for various purposes

Purpose

Stores arbitrary text data. Commonly used for verification, SPF records, DKIM, and DMARC email security.

Example

example.com
TXT
"v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all"
TTL: 3600

Common Uses

• SPF (email authentication)
• DKIM keys
• DMARC policies
• Domain verification (Google, Microsoft, etc.)
• Human-readable notes

NS Record (Name Server)

Specifies authoritative nameservers for a domain

Purpose

Points to the nameservers that are authoritative for your domain. These servers hold the actual DNS records.

Example

example.com
NS
ns1.example.com
ns2.example.com
TTL: 3600

Use Cases

• Domain delegation to DNS provider
• Using custom nameservers
• Subdomain DNS management
• ⚠ Changes propagate slowly (24-48 hours)

Other Common DNS Records

SOA (Start of Authority)

Contains administrative information about the domain zone.

Administrative metadata

PTR (Pointer Record)

Reverse DNS lookup - maps IP address to domain name.

IP → Domain

SRV (Service Record)

Specifies location of services like SIP, XMPP, etc.

Service discovery

CAA (Certificate Authority)

Specifies which CAs can issue SSL certificates for the domain.

SSL security

Quick Reference Table

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Related guides

• What is DNS? — how domain names map to records.
• DNS tools guide — checkers for verifying your records.
• Email DNS validator — check MX, SPF, and DMARC records.
• DKIM Studio — check the DKIM keys in your TXT records.