DNS record types explained: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SOA and CAA
Learn what the most common DNS record types do and how to inspect them with a DNS lookup.
What are DNS records?
DNS records are entries published in the Domain Name System. They connect domain names to websites, mail servers, nameservers, verification data and other Internet infrastructure.
A record
An A record maps a hostname to an IPv4 address. It is commonly used to point a website or service to an IPv4 server address.
AAAA record
An AAAA record performs the same role for IPv6 addresses. A domain can publish both A and AAAA records at the same time.
CNAME record
A CNAME record makes one hostname an alias of another hostname. It is common on subdomains such as www or service-specific hostnames.
MX record
MX records identify the servers responsible for receiving email for a domain. Each MX record has a priority value; lower values normally have higher priority.
TXT record
TXT records store arbitrary text. They are widely used for domain verification, SPF email policies and configuration required by external services.
NS record
NS records identify the authoritative nameservers for a DNS zone. These servers publish the authoritative DNS data for the domain.
SOA record
The Start of Authority record contains metadata about the DNS zone, including the primary nameserver, zone serial number and timing values used by DNS infrastructure.
CAA record
CAA records allow a domain owner to specify which certificate authorities may issue TLS certificates for that domain. A domain without CAA records does not necessarily have a configuration error.
What is DNS TTL?
TTL means time to live and controls how long DNS answers may be cached. The value observed during a lookup can decrease as an existing cached response approaches expiration.
How to check DNS records
Use the Notinexa DNS Lookup to query A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SOA and CAA records for a domain. The tool shows records that exist and explicitly identifies types for which no record was returned.