DNS Explained

The Domain Name System (DNS) is like the phonebook of the internet. It translates human-readable domain names (like `example.com`) into IP addresses (like `93.184.216.34`) that computers use to communicate.

How DNS Works

When you type a domain name in your browser, a series of queries happens:

1. **Resolver** (your ISP or public DNS like 8.8.8.8) receives the query
2. **Root Server** tells which TLD server to ask
3. **TLD Server** (.com, .org, .ir) tells which authoritative server to ask
4. **Authoritative Server** provides the final answer

DNS Record Types

Record Type	Purpose	Example
A	Maps domain to IPv4 address	`example.com → 93.184.216.34`
AAAA	Maps domain to IPv6 address	`example.com → 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946`
CNAME	Alias (canonical name)	`www.example.com → example.com`
MX	Mail exchange server	`mail.example.com`
TXT	Text records (SPF, DKIM, etc.)	`v=spf1 include:_spf.example.com ~all`
NS	Name server	`ns1.example.com`
SOA	Start of authority (zone info)	`ns1.example.com admin.example.com 2026072001`

What is an Authoritative Server?

An authoritative DNS server is the final authority for a domain's DNS records. It holds the “official” records that are published in the DNS zone file.

Example:

Domain	Authoritative Server	Records
`example.com`	`ns1.example.com`	A → `93.184.216.34`
		MX → `mail.example.com`
		TXT → `v=spf1 include:_spf.example.com ~all`

Or visually:

example.com
  └── authoritative: ns1.example.com
        ├── A     → 93.184.216.34
        ├── MX    → mail.example.com
        └── TXT   → v=spf1 include:_spf.example.com ~all

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Table of Contents

DNS Explained

How DNS Works

DNS Record Types

What is an Authoritative Server?

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