DNS (Domain Name System) is the system that translates human-friendly website names into IP addresses that computers use to communicate.
Think of it like the internet’s phonebook:
- You type a domain like example.com
- DNS converts it into an IP address like 192.168.1.1
- Your browser then connects to that IP to load the site
How it works (simple flow)
- You enter a domain in your browser
- Your system asks a DNS server for the IP address
- The DNS server responds with the correct IP
- Your browser connects to that server
Common DNS record types
- A record → maps a domain to an IPv4 address
- AAAA record → maps to IPv6
- CNAME → alias to another domain
- MX → mail servers
- TXT → verification/security info
Why DNS matters
- Makes the internet easy to use (no need to memorize IPs)
- Enables websites, email, and many online services to work