DNS LOC (Location) records store geographical location information for a domain or host. These records contain latitude, longitude, altitude, and precision data, enabling DNS-based location services and geographic information distribution.
LOC records contain geographical coordinates and related information about the physical location of a network resource. Each record includes latitude and longitude coordinates, altitude above sea level, and precision values that indicate the accuracy of the location data.
The record format can express locations with varying degrees of precision, from city-level accuracy to precise GPS coordinates. LOC records also include size information that indicates the physical size of the entity being located, which can be useful for representing buildings, campuses, or geographic regions.
LOC records can be used by applications that need to determine the geographic location of network resources. This might include network topology mapping, content delivery optimization, compliance with geographic restrictions, or emergency services location determination.
Some applications use LOC records to implement location-based services, geographic load balancing, or regional content delivery. However, the use of LOC records has been limited in practice due to privacy concerns and the availability of more sophisticated location determination methods.
While LOC records provide a standardized way to publish location information in DNS, most modern applications that require location data use alternative methods such as IP geolocation databases, GPS services, or application-specific location APIs that offer better accuracy and privacy control.
Here's what a LOC record looks like for the domain example.com:
