CNAME records are a type of DNS record that are used to create an alias for another domain name, which is called the canonical name. A CNAME record is useful when you want to point multiple domain names or subdomains to the same destination, without having to update the IP address for each one. In this article, we will explain what DNS CNAME records are, how they work, and how to configure and use them.
The “CNAME” in the CNAME record stands for “Canonical Name”, which is the true or original name of a domain. A CNAME record is used to specify that a domain name or subdomain is an alias of another domain name, which is the canonical name. For example, if you pull the DNS records of www.example.com, the CNAME record currently returns a value of example.com. This means that www.example.com is an alias of example.com, and both domain names will resolve to the same IP address.
CNAME records work by enabling a user’s device to connect with and load a website, without the user memorizing and typing in the actual domain name. The user’s web browser automatically carries this out by sending a query to a DNS resolver, which is a server that knows how to look up DNS records.
The DNS resolver then contacts the authoritative DNS server for the domain name, which is the server that holds the DNS records for that domain. The authoritative DNS server responds with the CNAME record, which contains the canonical name of the domain. The DNS resolver then performs another DNS lookup for the canonical name, and returns the IP address associated with it to the web browser, which can then establish a connection with the web server and request the website content.
Get occasional updates about new features, integrations, and future plans to your inbox.
We will send a confirmation opt-in email to your inbox. Privacy Policy.
