DNS Records Made Simple: A, CNAME, MX and More

By Steve / Monday, November 3, 2025 | 1 min

DNS Records Made Simple: A, CNAME, MX and More

DNS records are the instructions that tell the internet how to find your website and email. While they might seem complicated, most website owners only need to know a handful of common types.

1. A Record

Maps your domain name to an IP address. Example: example.com → 203.0.113.10

2. CNAME Record

Points one name to another. Example: www.example.com → example.com

3. MX Record

Directs email to the right mail server. Example: mail.example.com. Learn more about MX records here.

4. TXT Record

Stores text information, often used for verification or email security (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).

5. NS Record

Tells the internet which name servers are authoritative for your domain.

Next Steps

Need help fixing DNS issues? See our guide on DNS propagation problems.

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