Introduction to DNS Resource Records

What are DNS resource records?

DNS records are entries in a DNS zone file that provide information about a domain, such as its IP address, mail server, or alias.

2. What Is a CNAME Record?

CNAME: Canonical Name Record

A CNAME (Canonical Name) record is used to alias one domain to another. For instance, blog.example.com can point to example.com using a CNAME record.

How CNAME works in DNS resolution

When a DNS resolver queries a CNAME, it's instructed to look up the canonical name it points to. The process continues until an A record (actual IP) is found.

3. When Should You Use a CNAME Record?

Common use cases

Use a CNAME when you want subdomains (e.g., www, blog, store) to resolve to the root domain or external services, such as Shopify or GitHub Pages.

Best practices with Hostgenics

On Hostgenics, you can add CNAMEs in your DNS management panel for quick domain mapping to external services, eliminating the need to handle IP addresses directly.

4. Differences Between CNAME and Other Records

CNAME vs. A Record

Records point directly to an IP address. CNAMEs point to another domain name. Only CNAMEs can alias domain names.

CNAME vs. ALIAS/ANAME

Some DNS providers offer ALIAS or ANAME records to overcome CNAME restrictions on root domains, which traditional CNAMEs don't support.

5. Limitations and Rules of CNAME Records

No CNAME at the root domain

Standard DNS rules don't allow placing a CNAME at the apex (root) of a domain, such as example.com. Use ALIAS or ANAME instead.

Impact on email services

Adding a CNAME in place of an MX or SPF record could break email functionality. Ensure CNAMEs are used only where valid.