What Is an A Record?

An A record (Address record) is a core DNS record that maps a domain name (e.g., example.com) to a specific IPv4 address. This mapping allows web browsers and other clients to locate the server hosting a website or service.

A records are fundamental to directing internet traffic and are commonly used for both root domains and subdomains.

Key Features of A Records

Purpose
Maps a human-readable domain name to an IPv4 address so clients can connect to the correct server.

IPv4-Specific
A records only support IPv4 addresses. For IPv6, the equivalent record type is an AAAA record.

Multiple Records
You can configure multiple A records for a single domain to enable basic load balancing and redundancy.

Structure
An A record typically includes:

• Hostname (e.g., example.com)
• Record type (A)
• Value (IPv4 address, e.g., 192.0.2.1)
• TTL (Time to Live): how long the record is cached

Common Usage
A records are used for:

• Root domains (e.g., example.com)
• Subdomains (e.g., blog.example.com)

A records are essential to how the internet works, enabling systems to translate domain names into the IP addresses required to establish connections.