What is DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH)?

DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH, RFC 8484) encrypts standard Domain Name System queries over HTTPS, preventing eavesdropping, manipulation, and DNS spoofing by ISPs and middleboxes.

What is the difference between an A record and a CNAME record?

An A record maps a hostname directly to an IPv4 address (e.g. 192.0.2.1), whereas a CNAME (Canonical Name) record aliases one domain name to another domain name without pointing directly to an IP.

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⚡ Quick Reference Answer (AEO Summary)

DNS (Domain Name System) translates human domain names into IP addresses. Essential records: A (IPv4 address), AAAA (IPv6), MX (Mail Exchanger routing), TXT (SPF, DKIM, DMARC verification), and CNAME (canonical aliases).

Domain Name

Record Type

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DNS Record Types & Architectural Hierarchy

The Domain Name System functions as the distributed global directory of the Internet. Every record has a specific purpose:

Record	Standard	Description	Typical TTL
A	RFC 1035	Points a domain or subdomain to an IPv4 address.	300s – 3600s
AAAA	RFC 3596	Points a hostname to a 128-bit IPv6 address.	300s – 3600s
MX	RFC 5321	Designates mail servers responsible for accepting incoming emails with priority weighting.	3600s – 86400s
TXT	RFC 1464	Holds machine-readable text used for email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and SSL verification.	3600s
CNAME	RFC 1035	Canonical Name record that points an alias to the canonical domain name. Cannot exist on zone apex.	3600s – 86400s

Understanding DNS Propagation

When you update DNS records at your registrar or Cloudflare/Route53, changes do not propagate instantly worldwide. Propagation delay is governed by the previous record's TTL (Time To Live). Resolving nameservers cache records until their TTL expires.