What Is DNS and How Does It Work?

Every time you visit a website, something clever happens in the background: the Domain Name System (DNS) translates the domain name you typed into the numeric address computers actually use. DNS is often called the phone book, or address book, of the internet — and understanding it makes managing your website far less mysterious.

How DNS works, step by step

1. You type yourbusiness.com into your browser.
2. Your browser asks the DNS system, “which server holds this site?”
3. DNS looks up the domain’s records and returns the server’s IP address.
4. Your browser connects to that server and loads the website.

All of this happens in well under a second, every single time.

Common DNS record types

• A record — points a domain to an IPv4 address.
• CNAME record — points one name to another name.
• MX record — directs your email to the right mail server.
• TXT record — holds verification and email-authentication values like SPF and DKIM.

Why DNS changes are not instant

When you edit DNS, the change has to spread across servers worldwide, which takes time. This is called propagation — see DNS propagation and how long it takes. It is why a new site or a nameserver change may not appear immediately.

Where you manage DNS

You manage DNS wherever your nameservers point — often your hosting control panel or registrar. This is also how you connect your domain to your hosting.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between DNS and nameservers?

Nameservers are the specific servers that hold your DNS records. DNS is the overall system that uses those records to route visitors. Learn more in what are nameservers.

If I change DNS, will my site go down?

A careful change should not cause downtime, but a wrong record can. Change one record at a time and note the original value.

How long do DNS changes take?

Anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, occasionally up to 48. See our DNS propagation guide.