Guide / foundations

DNS records, decoded without the fog.

Updated August 2026 · 8 min read

DNS is a directory, not a web server. It answers “where should this name go?” with small records, each carrying a different kind of instruction.

The records you meet most

A maps a name to an IPv4 address. AAAA does the same for IPv6. CNAME aliases one hostname to another and is common for hosted services. MX identifies mail exchangers, with a priority number. NS delegates authority for a zone. TXT stores text used for verification and email policy. SOA describes the zone’s primary authority and timing values.

Names have scope

A record for example.com is not automatically a record for www.example.com. The “name” column matters. A provider may display the root as @; another expects the full hostname. Read the provider’s format instructions before adding a trailing dot or changing a record type.

Change one thing at a time

Save the current value, make the smallest change, and query the result with our DNS lookup tool. A successful lookup proves the public resolver has an answer; it does not prove the destination server is healthy. Pair DNS checks with an HTTP status check and an actual browser test.

Safe habit: lower TTL before a planned migration, but leave enough time for caches to age out. Never delete MX, SPF or verification records just because a dashboard calls them “old” without checking what uses them.

Continue with how propagation really works or the MX record guide.