What is DNS (Domain Name System)?

DNS (Domain Name System) is a decentralized naming system used in computer networks to translate domain names into IP addresses. It serves as a directory that maps human-readable domain names, such as www.example.com, to their corresponding IP addresses, such as 192.0.2.1. This translation is necessary because computers communicate using IP addresses, which are numerical values that can be difficult for humans to remember and use.

DNS works by maintaining a distributed database that contains various types of records, including A records (mapping domain names to IPv4 addresses), AAAA records (mapping domain names to IPv6 addresses), MX records (specifying the mail server for a domain), and more. When a user enters a domain name in a web browser or any other network application, the DNS system is queried to find the corresponding IP address. This process involves multiple DNS servers, starting from the user's local DNS resolver, which may then contact authoritative DNS servers to obtain the requested information.

Overall, DNS plays a crucial role in enabling the internet to function smoothly by providing a hierarchical and scalable method for resolving domain names to IP addresses, facilitating seamless communication between devices and services on computer networks.