DNS Record Types Cheat Sheet
A quick reference guide for the most commonly used Domain Name System (DNS) record types.
Common Records
| Type | Name | Description | Example Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Address | Maps a hostname to an IPv4 address. | 192.0.2.1 |
| AAAA | IPv6 Address | Maps a hostname to an IPv6 address. | 2001:db8::1 |
| CNAME | Canonical Name | Aliases one domain name to another (the "canonical" name). | web.example.com |
| MX | Mail Exchanger | Specifies mail servers for the domain, with a priority value. | 10 mail.example.com |
| TXT | Text | Arbitrary text, used for SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and verification. | "v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all" |
| NS | Name Server | Delegates a DNS zone to use specific authoritative name servers. | ns1.example.com |
| PTR | Pointer | Maps an IP address to a hostname (Reverse DNS). | host.example.com |
| SOA | Start of Authority | Information about the DNS zone (primary NS, admin email, serial). | ns1.ex.com admin.ex.com ... |
Advanced & Security Records
| Type | Name | Description | Example Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRV | Service | Defines location (hostname/port) of specific services. | 0 5 5060 sip.example.com |
| CAA | CA Authorization | Restricts which CAs can issue certificates for the domain. | 0 issue "letsencrypt.org" |
| DS | Delegation Signer | Used in DNSSEC to secure delegations. | 12345 8 2 ABCD... |
| DNSKEY | DNS Key | Contains a public signing key for DNSSEC. | 256 3 8 AwEA... |
CNAME vs. ALIAS Records
While CNAME is an official DNS record type, it has a major limitation: it cannot exist at the zone apex (the root domain, e.g., example.com). To solve this, many DNS providers (Cloudflare, Route 53, etc.) offer "ALIAS" or "CNAME Flattening" records that behave like CNAMEs but work at the root.