AAddressMaps the domain to an IPv4 address.
example.com → 93.184.216.34DNS record types
Reference of the most common DNS record types: their name, what they are for, and an example value.
AAAAIPv6 AddressMaps the domain to an IPv6 address.
example.com → 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946CAACertification Authority AuthorizationCertificate authorities allowed to issue TLS certificates for the domain.
0 issue "letsencrypt.org"CNAMECanonical NameAlias that points to another domain name instead of an IP.
www.example.com → example.comDNSKEYDNS KeyPublic key used by DNSSEC to sign the zone's records.
256 3 8 AwEAAb…DSDelegation SignerLinks the zone to the parent zone's DNSSEC key (signed delegation).
2371 13 2 8ACBB0CD…HINFOHost InformationHost information: CPU and operating system; rarely used today.
"Intel" "Linux"HTTPSHTTPS Service BindingConnection parameters (ALPN, port, IP) to speed up HTTPS access.
1 . alpn="h2,h3"MXMail ExchangeThe domain's mail server, with a priority (the lower number takes precedence).
10 mail.example.comNAPTRNaming Authority PointerRewrite rules for service discovery (used in ENUM and SIP).
100 10 "U" "E2U+sip" "!^.*$!sip:info@example.com!" .NSName ServerAuthoritative name servers that manage the domain's zone.
ns1.example.comPTRPointerReverse DNS: maps an IP address to a domain name.
34.216.184.93.in-addr.arpa → example.comSOAStart of AuthorityZone authority data: primary server, contact, and refresh timers.
ns1.example.com admin.example.com 2024010101SRVServiceLocation (host and port) of a service, such as SIP or XMPP.
_sip._tcp 10 5 5060 sip.example.comSSHFPSSH FingerprintHost's SSH public key fingerprint used to verify connections.
1 1 123456789abcdef…SVCBService BindingGeneric service binding record; it is the basis of the HTTPS record.
1 svc.example.com alpn="h2"TLSATLS AssociationAssociates a TLS certificate with the domain via DANE.
3 1 1 0b87ad…TXTTextFree-form text; used for SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and ownership verification.
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~allHow it works
A DNS record is an entry in a domain's zone that answers one specific question: which IP address it points to, which servers receive its mail, who administers the zone or which authorities may issue certificates for it. Each record type answers a different question, and a well-configured zone combines several of them.
This reference gathers the record types that show up day to day — from the basic A, AAAA, CNAME, MX and TXT to security ones such as CAA, DNSKEY, DS, TLSA and SSHFP — with their full name, what each one is for and an example of how it looks in the zone.
It is a lookup table: it does not send queries or analyse your domain. If what you need is to see a domain's actual records, the DNS lookup tool resolves them live.
Examples
Aejemplo.com. 3600 IN A 192.0.2.10Points a name to an IPv4 address. The 3600 is the TTL in seconds: how long resolvers may cache the answer.MXejemplo.com. 3600 IN MX 10 mail.ejemplo.com.The number is the priority: the lowest value is tried first. Several MX records are usually declared for redundancy.TXTejemplo.com. 3600 IN TXT "v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all"TXT records hold free text. They are used above all for SPF, DKIM, DMARC and to verify domain ownership.Use cases
- Remember which record type applies before touching a production domain's zone.
- Understand the answer to a DNS query or the result of a mail diagnostic.
- Set up a domain's mail by combining MX with the SPF, DKIM and DMARC TXT records.
- Review a zone's security records: CAA to limit who issues certificates, DS and DNSKEY for DNSSEC.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an A record and a CNAME?
An A record points directly to an IPv4 address. A CNAME points to another name, which is then resolved in turn. A CNAME is convenient when the destination IP changes often, but it adds one more hop to resolution and comes with restrictions: it cannot coexist with other records of the same name, nor be used at the domain root.
Why can't I put a CNAME at the domain root?
Because the zone root necessarily has SOA and NS records, and the standard does not allow a CNAME to coexist with other records of the same name. To work around it, many providers offer their own alternatives such as ALIAS or ANAME, which behave like a CNAME but return the address directly.
What is the TTL and what value should I use?
The TTL (time to live) is the number of seconds resolvers may cache the answer. A high TTL reduces queries and speeds up resolution; a low one makes changes propagate sooner. The usual practice is to lower it a few hours before a migration and raise it again once the change is stable.
Why isn't my DNS change visible yet?
Because the previous value is still cached. Until the TTL that came with the earlier answer expires, intermediate resolvers and the operating system may keep returning the old data. The browser's own cache also plays a part, sometimes keeping the resolution beyond the TTL.
What is a CAA record for?
It declares which certificate authorities are allowed to issue certificates for the domain. CAs are required to check it before issuing, so it is a simple way to prevent a third party from obtaining a valid certificate for your domain at another CA.