Domain Records Explained: A, AAAA, CNAME, TXT, and More

Your domain is more than a name.

It’s a digital address, a signal system, a control center for your website, email, and apps.

And all of this works because of domain records.

Let’s decode them.

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1. A Record (Address Record)

• Maps a domain to an IPv4 address (numbers like 192.168.1.1).

• Think: domain → server location

• Example: maacat.cc → 93.184.216.34

Essentially, A record says:

“When someone types my domain, send them here.”

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2. A+ Dynamic DNS Record

• Variation of A record, but dynamic.

• Changes automatically when your server IP changes (home server, cloud VPS).

• Good for:

  • Self-hosted websites

  • Home labs

  • IoT devices

Dynamic DNS = always reachable even with changing IPs.

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3. AAAA Record

• Maps domain to IPv6 address (like 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334)

• Same as A record but for IPv6

• Future-proofing internet connectivity

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4. ALIAS Record

• Special record for root domains (like maacat.cc)

• Lets you point root domain to another domain (like example.herokudns.com)

• Works like CNAME but allowed at root level

Good for cloud hosting platforms.

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5. CAA Record (Certification Authority Authorization)

• Controls which SSL certificate authorities can issue certificates for your domain

• Security measure

• Prevents rogue certificate issuance

Example: Only Let’s Encrypt can issue SSL for your domain → CAA record restricts others.

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6. CNAME Record (Canonical Name)

• Points a domain/subdomain to another domain

• Example: blog.maacat.cc → maacat.medium.com

• Perfect for:

  • Subdomains

  • External hosting

  • Temporary redirects

Cannot be used at root domain (maacat.cc) → use ALIAS instead.

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7. NS Record (Name Server Record)

• Specifies which DNS servers control your domain

• Example: Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Namecheap NS servers

• If NS records point wrong → domain disappears from internet

Think: NS = traffic controller.

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8. SRV Record (Service Record)

• Points to a specific service on a domain (host + port)

• Used by:

  • VoIP

  • XMPP chat

  • Microsoft services

• Example: _sip._tcp.example.com → server for VoIP calls

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9. TXT Record (Text Record)

• Stores arbitrary text for verification/security

• Uses:

  • Domain ownership verification

  • SPF/DKIM for email (prevents spam/fake emails)

  • Google Search Console verification

• Example: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

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10. URL Redirect Record

• Redirects domain/subdomain to another URL

• Example: old.maacat.cc → www.maacat.cc/blog

• Handy for:

  • Rebranding

  • Campaigns

  • Merging sites

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11. Why These Records Matter for Your Business

• They control where traffic goes

• They protect your brand

• They secure your emails

• They allow advanced services (cloud, VoIP, apps)

• They prevent outsiders from hijacking your domain

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12. MAACAT Insight: Domains Are Not Just Names

Your domain is like a city:

• NS = traffic control

• A/AAAA = addresses

• CNAME/ALIAS = connections

• TXT/CAA = security & verification

• SRV = specialized services

• URL Redirect = street signs

A smart business controls all of it.
Neglect it → chaos.