How DNS Works: From Name to IP Address

When you type "example.com" into your browser, your computer doesn't know where to send the request — it needs an IP address. This is where the Domain Name System (DNS) steps in. Your machine first checks its local cache. If the record isn't there, it queries a recursive resolver (usually provided by your ISP or a public resolver like 1.1.1.1). The resolver then climbs the DNS hierarchy: it asks a root nameserver, which points to the TLD nameserver (.com, .org, etc.), which in turn points to the authoritative nameserver for the domain. The authoritative nameserver holds the actual records — A records for IPv4, AAAA for IPv6, MX for mail, CNAME for aliases, and more. The resolver caches the answer for the duration of the TTL (Time to Live) and returns it to your machine. The whole round-trip typically takes under 50ms. Without DNS, the internet as we know it would be unusable — no one would memorise 142.250.74.46 just to visit Google.