DNS Records Table
| Type | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | Maps a hostname to an IPv4 address | example.com → 93.184.216.34 |
| AAAA | Maps a hostname to an IPv6 address | example.com → 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946 |
| CNAME | Alias: points a hostname to another hostname | www.example.com → example.com |
| MX | Routes email to a mail server | example.com → mail.example.com (priority 10) |
| TXT | Arbitrary text: SPF, DKIM, site verification | example.com → "v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all" |
| NS | Delegates a domain to a set of name servers | example.com → ns1.example.com |
| SOA | Start of Authority: zone metadata (serial, refresh, retry) | First record in every DNS zone |
| SRV | Service locator: hostname and port for a service | _sip._tcp.example.com → SIP server |
| PTR | Reverse DNS: IP address to hostname | 34.216.184.93.in-addr.arpa → example.com |
| CAA | Specifies which Certificate Authorities may issue certificates | example.com → 0 issue "letsencrypt.org" |
DNS is the phone book of the internet: it translates human-readable names into machine-routable addresses. The ten record types above cover every DNS interaction a domain owner will encounter - from the A record that points your domain to an IP, to the CAA record that controls which Certificate Authorities can issue your SSL certificates.
The three that cause the most production incidents: MX (misconfigured email routing), CNAME (cannot coexist with other records at the same name), and TXT (SPF/DKIM/DMARC records that control email authentication).
How to use
- Filter by record type or purpose - mail, security, redirect, IPv6 - to find what you need.
- Click any record type to copy it into a DNS management panel or documentation.
- Check the example column for real-world syntax - the MX record shows the priority field, the TXT record shows the SPF format.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between A and CNAME records?
An A record points directly to an IP address; a CNAME points to another hostname that must then be resolved to an IP. CNAME cannot be used at the zone apex (example.com itself) because RFC 1035 forbids CNAME coexisting with other records. If you need the apex to point at a CDN, use an A record or ALIAS/ANAME if your DNS provider supports it.
What is a TXT record used for today?
TXT records started as free-form text but have become the primary mechanism for domain verification and email authentication: SPF (which servers may send email for your domain), DKIM (cryptographic signatures on outgoing email), DMARC (policy for handling failed authentication), and Google Search Console / SSL certificate ownership verification.
What does the SOA record do?
The SOA (Start of Authority) is the first record in every DNS zone - it contains the serial number (incremented on every change, used by secondary nameservers to detect updates), the refresh/retry/expiry timers for zone transfers, and the administrative contact. You never manually edit it in managed DNS, but understanding the serial number explains why DNS changes propagate slowly.
What is the CAA record and why should I care?
CAA (Certificate Authority Authorization) lets you specify which Certificate Authorities are allowed to issue SSL certificates for your domain. Without a CAA record, any CA can issue a certificate for your domain; with one, mis-issuance by unauthorised CAs is blocked at the protocol level.