; record type reference
DNS Record Type Reference
Every DNS record type explained — syntax, real-world examples, and when to use each one.
12 record types
; quick reference
| Type | Full name | Category | Primary use |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Address Record | Core | Point your domain or subdomain to a web server, load balancer, or any IPv4-addressed host. |
| AAAA | IPv6 Address Record | Core | Enable IPv6 connectivity for your domain. Modern hosting providers support dual-stack (A + AAAA) by default. |
| CNAME | Canonical Name Record | Core | Alias subdomains to third-party services (Shopify, GitHub Pages, Heroku) or to your apex domain. |
| MX | Mail Exchanger Record | Route inbound email to your mail provider (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Fastmail, etc.). | |
| TXT | Text Record | SPF email authentication, DKIM public keys, DMARC policy, Google/Microsoft site verification, ACME DNS challenges. | |
| NS | Nameserver Record | Core | Set at your registrar to point to your DNS provider. Also used to delegate subdomains to separate DNS zones. |
| SOA | Start of Authority | Core | Automatically managed by your DNS provider. Defines zone serial number, refresh, retry, expire, and minimum TTL. |
| PTR | Pointer Record | Reverse DNS | Email deliverability (mail servers check PTR records), server identification, network diagnostics, and security auditing. |
| CAA | Certification Authority Authorization | Security | Prevent unauthorized certificate issuance. Recommended for any domain with HTTPS — especially high-security or regulated environments. |
| SRV | Service Record | Services | VoIP (SIP), XMPP/Jabber, Microsoft Teams federation, CalDAV/CardDAV, and other protocol-specific service discovery. |
| DKIM | DomainKeys Identified Mail | Email authentication — allows receiving servers to verify that email was signed by an authorized sender and was not tampered with. | |
| SPF | Sender Policy Framework | Prevent email spoofing. Receiving servers check SPF to verify the sending server is authorized. |