Cloud & Infrastructure
Reading DNS record types with working examples
This guide explains the record types most site owners touch and shows how to configure them for a small business. It follows one example domain from first setup through a safe change.
01
Step one: map each record to its job
Start by listing what the domain must do. An A record points a hostname to an IPv4 address, AAAA does the same for IPv6, and CNAME makes one name an alias of another. MX directs mail, TXT holds verification and sender policies, and NS names the authoritative servers. In the worked example, example-shop.test needs a website, a www alias, business email and a verification token. Write one line per need before touching the panel. This prevents guessing and makes later review much easier for anyone who inherits the zone.
02
Step two: write the records for the example
For example-shop.test, the apex gets an A record pointing to the host's address, such as 192.0.2.10. The www name becomes a CNAME to the apex. Two MX records send mail to the provider's listed servers with stated priorities, and a TXT record carries the sender policy that lists approved mail sources. A second TXT record holds the token a service asked you to publish. Keep the TTL moderate, perhaps one hour, so corrections spread quickly. Note that a CNAME cannot sit beside other records on the same name, which is a frequent source of confusion.
03
Step three: change safely and verify
Before editing, export or copy the existing zone and lower the TTL a day ahead if a move is planned. Make one change at a time, then query the name with a lookup tool and compare the answer to what you intended. Check mail flow with a test message and confirm the website loads through both the apex and www. If something fails, restore the saved entry rather than layering fixes. Record the date, the reason and the person responsible in a short change log. That habit turns a fragile zone into one a colleague can maintain confidently.