Understanding DNS record is easy. The only thing that you need a simple explanation. We will see what a DNS record is, and we will start speaking about one of the most used ones – DNS A record. It is the simple record that connects what you are typing in your web browser and the address of the site, but let’ go in-depth.
In the following page you can find in-depth information about the A record!
DNS and DNS records explained
We will not go into detail, but we should really define what DNS and DNS records are before we go to the topic of DNS A records.
The DNS means domain name system. It is an organizational structure that keeps information on what part of each name, like Google.com, is located. That structure is made from many servers that communicate with each other and redirect the request to the proper destination. In the end, your DNS query for a particular domain name gets solved, and you can access it.
So, to make it easy!
Image, a new mailman, needs to deliver a message to somebody in a small remote village.
In a village, he can’t find the address, so he asks a person there for help. The helper does not know the person or the complete address, but he knows where the neighborhood is.
The mailman then goes to that neighborhood is and asks again. Then a lady helps him with the street, but she does not know the actual address with the number.
The last check will be with somebody on the street, and the mailman will get the direction and deliver the message.
The mailman will deliver it successfully, and for some time, he will remember that exact address if there are new messages to be delivered.
The message is the DNS record, and the whole process of the search for the address is how the DNS works.
DNS records are simple and short text messages with a particular function depending on the type of DNS they are. They have instructions for the servers on the way. Those instructions will show what the request is, where it should go, what to bring as a result, and for how long it should be kept.
So we hope we explained DNS and DNS records enough for now.
DNS A record
DNS A record is one that we request all the time. It is a simple message that shows the domain name and where it is located. The location is an IP address that shows the location of the computer that has that information.
When you request a site like Google.com, your browser must find it to give you a result because, by default, it does not know it.
It will go to search it, first to the closest servers like your internet provider servers’. If they don’t know the address, they will continue searching and so on.
Finally, the request for the A record will go to a name server that knows the answer for the particular domain and will send it all the way to the user. The answer will stay saved in the servers on the way, the time that record indicates.
When you have a website, you will need to create DNS A record that makes this connection between the domain name (YOURSITE.COM) and its IP address (the address where your site is hosted)
If you are interested in the DNS records, we recommend you reading our article about the MX record.
Conclusion
The A record is essential. We can’t find something if we don’t know where it is, and the A DNS record helps with this task. It will indicate where is the address of the particular host that we are searching for.
