Hi everyone, I’m trying to get a better grasp of DNS records and their functions. Can someone explain the key differences between DNS A records and CNAME records? When should each type be used, and what are their specific purposes and impacts on domain management? Any examples or insights on how they affect DNS configurations would be very helpful!
A CNAME record (Canonical Name record) links a domain name to another domain name instead of an IP address. It effectively creates an alias, directing the subdomain to the DNS records of the main domain.
A CNAME is really just a link to an A record, which is nearly invariably a bodge. Takes two steps rather than one. So you may as well create an A record or simply use the new server name. Creating a CNAME typically results in technical debt that must be unwound later.
DNS A records and CNAME records serve different purposes in domain management. An A record (Address Record) maps a domain name directly to an IP address, which is used to locate the server where your website or service is hosted. For example, an A record might map example.com to 192.0.2.1, directing traffic to that specific IP address. In contrast, a CNAME record (Canonical Name Record) maps a domain name to another domain name rather than an IP address. This is useful for aliasing, such as mapping www.example.com to example.com, so that any changes to example.com’s IP address are automatically reflected in www.example.com. Use A records for direct IP address assignments and CNAME records for domain aliasing and simplifying DNS management by pointing multiple subdomains to a single domain.