What are the most common DNS record types I will see?
The records you will edit most
A records point a name to an IPv4 address, and AAAA records do the same for IPv6. CNAME records point one name to another name instead of an address. MX records tell mail servers where to deliver messages for your domain. Each record type has a different job, so pick the one that matches the target you are pointing to.
- A or AAAA for a server's IP address
- CNAME for a subdomain that points to a hosted service
- MX for incoming email servers
- TXT for verification and email authentication
- NS for the nameservers that hold your zone
Records you will meet less often
SRV records describe services such as some chat or game servers, and CAA records limit which certificate authorities may issue certificates for your domain. You rarely create these unless a specific tool asks for them. Reading the setup guide for that tool is usually faster than guessing.
Reading a record list
Your DNS dashboard shows each record with a name, a type, and a value. The name is often relative to the domain, so a name of www means www.yourdomain. Check that a record's value is correct before you save it, since typos are the most common cause of broken setups.
Common mistakes
- Creating a CNAME at the root of a domain where the DNS host does not allow it.
- Pasting a full address where the form expects only a hostname.
- Treating every record type as interchangeable when each has a specific job.
