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What DNS name resolution means
The Domain Name System (DNS) stores information about names in records distributed across name servers. Resolution is the process of obtaining the record or records requested for a DNS name. It is not a search of one central database: DNS data is organized into zones, and a resolver can follow referrals from one server to another until it reaches the relevant authoritative data.
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A website lookup often asks for an address record, but DNS can also provide other record types. The requested name, record type, available data and resolver behavior determine what comes back.
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Which parts take part in a lookup?
- Stub resolver: Client-side software that sends a DNS query to an upstream resolver.
- Recursive resolver: A server that handles a client’s request by checking data it already has and, if needed, querying other DNS servers to find an answer.
- Authoritative name server: A server that holds authoritative data for a DNS zone and can answer questions about that data.
These roles are distinct even when a particular device or service combines some of the work. For a concise standards-based description of resolver roles, see RFC 9199.
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What happens when software looks up a domain name?
- The client sends a query upstream. A browser or other application relies on the device’s stub resolver, which asks a recursive resolver for a particular DNS name and record type.
- The recursive resolver checks what it can use. It may already have a usable answer in cache. If not, it begins querying DNS servers to find the relevant data.
- The resolver follows referrals. A server that does not hold the requested data may direct the resolver to another name server responsible for a closer part of the domain tree. This step-by-step work is iterative: the resolver, rather than the original client, follows the referrals.
- An authoritative server responds. Once the query reaches a server with the relevant zone data, that server can provide an authoritative response.
- The resolver replies to the client. The result can contain the requested record, a CNAME alias chain leading to an answer, or an error. The client then uses the result according to its own needs.
This is the general pattern, not a guarantee that every lookup contacts authoritative servers. A cache hit can let the recursive resolver answer without performing a fresh round of queries. The foundational DNS behavior is described in RFC 1034 and RFC 1035.
Recursive and iterative queries are different
In a recursive query, the client asks a server to pursue the lookup and return an answer or an error, rather than handing the client a referral to follow. In iterative work, a server can return information it has or refer the resolver to another server. A recursive resolver commonly performs that iterative work on behalf of the client.
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DNS message flags help describe this exchange. The RD bit requests recursive service. The RA bit indicates that the server is willing to offer it; RA alone does not prove that recursion took place. RFC 1034 explains that a client can check for recursive mode by verifying that both RD and RA are set in the reply.
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Resolvers cache DNS data so they can reuse information obtained earlier instead of repeating a lookup for every request. Cached records have a time to live (TTL); once the applicable time expires, the resolver discards the cached data and may need to obtain it again.
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Resolvers can also cache negative results, such as a response that a name or requested data was not found. Consequently, a recent DNS change may not appear to every user immediately: a resolver may continue using applicable cached information until its TTL expires. There is no single universal wait time for a change to be visible everywhere; it depends on the records and caches involved.
What a DNS lookup error can mean
A failure is not always evidence that the entire domain is missing. The response can indicate different conditions:
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- The name does not exist. This is a name error.
- The name exists, but the requested record type is absent. This differs from the name itself not existing, although an application may present the two situations similarly.
- A server or query problem occurred. DNS response codes include format error and server failure, among other outcomes.
RFC 1035 defines response codes for conditions including format error, server failure and name error; RFC 1034 discusses the distinction between a nonexistent name and missing data for a requested type.
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DNS over HTTPS (DoH) carries DNS queries and responses in HTTPS exchanges. It changes the transport between the client and the selected resolver, not the basic purpose of resolution: the client is still asking for DNS data. RFC 8484 specifies integrity and confidentiality for the HTTPS channel between client and server.
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DoH also makes resolver selection and setup relevant. The client uses configuration to choose a DoH server, and it cannot rely on that server to resolve the server’s own hostname before the connection is established; RFC 8484 describes this bootstrap issue. Which resolver is selected can affect the answers a client receives. DoH therefore does not eliminate the distributed DNS lookup process or make every DNS-related activity private.
The essential distinction
DNS name resolution is a lookup for DNS records across a distributed system. The client commonly asks a recursive resolver; that resolver may answer from cache or follow referrals to authoritative servers, then return data or an error. Caching avoids repeated work, while TTLs explain why previous answers—including negative ones—can remain in use for a time.
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