DNS Records Explained: A, AAAA, MX, CNAME, TXT and More

What Is DNS?

The Domain Name System (DNS) translates human-readable domain names (like example.com) into IP addresses that computers use to communicate. It's often called the "phonebook of the internet."

Common Record Types

• A — Maps a domain to an IPv4 address
• AAAA — Maps a domain to an IPv6 address
• CNAME — Creates an alias pointing to another domain
• MX — Specifies mail servers for the domain
• TXT — Stores arbitrary text (SPF, DKIM, verification)
• NS — Identifies the authoritative name servers
• SOA — Start of Authority — contains zone admin info

Why DNS Lookup Matters

DNS lookups are essential for debugging email delivery issues, verifying domain ownership, checking SSL configurations, and diagnosing connectivity problems.

Query DNS Records

Use our DNS Lookup tool to query any record type for any domain — powered by Cloudflare DNS for fast, accurate results.