Query DNS records for any domain. Check A, AAAA, MX, CNAME, TXT, NS, and SOA records with TTL values.
Enter a domain name to retrieve its DNS records
The Domain Name System (DNS) is often called the "phonebook of the internet." It's a hierarchical, distributed database that translates human-friendly domain names (like example.com) into machine-readable IP addresses (like 93.184.216.34). Without DNS, you'd have to memorize numeric IP addresses to visit any website.
Every time you visit a website, send an email, or use almost any internet service, DNS queries happen behind the scenes—typically in milliseconds. Understanding DNS is essential for website owners, developers, and anyone managing online infrastructure.
DNS queries per day on Cloudflare alone
Average DNS lookup time
Root DNS server clusters worldwide
Registered domain names globally
When you type a URL into your browser, a series of DNS queries occur to find the correct IP address. Here's the step-by-step process:
DNS uses various record types to store different kinds of information. Here's a comprehensive guide to each type:
Purpose: Maps a domain name to an IPv4 address (32-bit).
Example:
example.com. IN A 93.184.216.34Common uses:
Purpose: Maps a domain name to an IPv6 address (128-bit).
Example:
example.com. IN AAAA 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946Why it matters:
Purpose: Specifies mail servers responsible for receiving email for the domain.
Example:
example.com. IN MX 10 mail.example.com.
example.com. IN MX 20 mail2.example.com.Key concepts:
Purpose: Creates an alias that points to another domain name (not an IP).
Example:
www.example.com. IN CNAME example.com.
blog.example.com. IN CNAME mysite.wordpress.com.Important rules:
Purpose: Stores arbitrary text data, commonly used for verification and email security.
Common uses:
; SPF Record
example.com. IN TXT "v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all"
; Domain Verification
example.com. IN TXT "google-site-verification=abc123..."
; DKIM Record
selector._domainkey.example.com. IN TXT "v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=..."Purpose: Identifies the authoritative name servers for a domain or subdomain.
Example:
example.com. IN NS ns1.cloudflare.com.
example.com. IN NS ns2.cloudflare.com.Key points:
| Type | Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| SOA | Start of Authority | Contains administrative information about the zone (primary NS, admin email, serial number, refresh/retry timers). Every zone has exactly one SOA record. |
| PTR | Pointer Record | Used for reverse DNS lookups—maps an IP address back to a domain name. Essential for email deliverability and security. |
| SRV | Service Record | Specifies the location (hostname and port) of servers for specific services like LDAP, SIP, or XMPP. |
| CAA | Certification Authority Authorization | Specifies which Certificate Authorities (CAs) are allowed to issue SSL/TLS certificates for the domain. |
| ALIAS | ALIAS/ANAME Record | Similar to CNAME but can be used at the zone apex. Not an official standard but supported by many DNS providers. |
| DNSKEY | DNS Key Record | Contains public keys used for DNSSEC (DNS Security Extensions) to authenticate DNS responses. |
TTL is a value in seconds that tells DNS resolvers how long to cache a record before requesting a fresh copy. Choosing the right TTL involves balancing performance against flexibility.
Values: 86400 - 172800 seconds
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Stable records that rarely change
Values: 3600 - 14400 seconds
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Most websites and services
Values: 300 - 900 seconds
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Load balancing, failover, pre-migration
Before migrating servers or changing hosting, lower your TTL to 300-600 seconds at least 48 hours in advance. This ensures the old, longer TTL has expired from all caches. After migration is complete and verified, increase TTL back to normal values.
DNS Security Extensions add cryptographic signatures to DNS records, preventing attackers from forging DNS responses.
Protect your domain from email spoofing with these DNS-based email security records:
Cause: Old DNS records are cached based on the previous TTL value.
Solution: Wait for the old TTL to expire (can take up to 48 hours for long TTLs). In the future, lower TTL before making changes. You can also try flushing your local DNS cache.
Cause: Missing or incorrect MX records.
Solution: Verify MX records point to your mail server. Check priority values (lower = higher priority). Ensure the mail server hostname has a valid A record.
Cause: Missing or incorrect SPF, DKIM, or DMARC records.
Solution: Add proper SPF record listing authorized senders. Configure DKIM signing and add the public key as a TXT record. Set up DMARC policy to tell receivers how to handle authentication failures.
Cause: A record exists for one but not the other, or CNAME is misconfigured.
Solution: Create A records for both root (@) and www. Alternatively, use A record for root and CNAME for www pointing to root. Ensure your web server accepts requests for both hostnames.
| Provider | Type | Key Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | Free / Paid | Fast global network, DDoS protection, CDN included, DNSSEC | Most websites, especially those needing CDN/security |
| AWS Route 53 | Paid | Highly reliable, integrates with AWS, advanced routing policies | AWS users, enterprise applications |
| Google Cloud DNS | Paid | Google infrastructure, low latency, DNSSEC support | GCP users, high-traffic sites |
| Namecheap DNS | Free with domain | Easy to use, included with domain registration | Small websites, beginners |
| NS1 | Paid | Advanced traffic management, real-time analytics | Enterprise, complex DNS needs |
| allcitymenu.com | ALL | 1d |
| seemenus.com | ALL | 1d |
| webinc.co | ALL | 2d |