web server

What Is DNS and How Does It Work?

By Trey Gordon 16 August, 2023 2 mins read

A server domain name on the internet is an address that identifies a website. On the internet, you can find many different website names, such as those for education, ecommerce, government, and entertainment.

The IP address of the website you are trying to reach is determined by typing in a domain into your browser. DNS maps alphabetic names to IPs, much like a traditional phone book.

DNS uses a client-server database model. Name servers are the servers that store information about domains and their IP addresses.

How does DNS work?

A computer's first action in the DNS is to ask a special computer called a "root server" what IP address is associated with each Top Level Domain. Each domain is essentially its own registry, and this registry is stored on a special computer called a root-server.

Once the root-server has identified what TLD your are searching for, it then sends a request to Domain Name Resolver. Domain Name Resolver can be a computer within an organization or service provider. These resolvers specialise in finding the registries that correspond to each domain, and translating its name into an IP address.

Different types of DNS records are required depending on the type of domain and what resolver is needed. One of the most common records is A, which contains an IP address for the domain. Other common records are CNAME and TXT, which can be used to make an alias or forward the query to another DNS server.

The records are stored in a file called a zone. The DNS zone files store information regarding each domain's IP address and any other relevant information such as DNS Cache, Time to Live (TTL), DNS cache etc.

The recursive DNS service receives your query and executes several requests until you reach the authoritative DNS server for this domain. The recursive DNS then returns an IP address to either the client server.

The DNS uses two different types of authoritative names servers, primary and secondary. Primary DNS servers contain copies of records and files for zones or domains. The secondary servers will only be used if a primary server has an error or if a authoritative server is unavailable.

Authoritative Name Servers are the final authority in regards to all the IP addresses, domain names, and zones. The authoritative name servers can also change the IP addresses for the domains and zones that they manage. This makes them an essential component of managing and maintaining DNS on the network.

The DNS server repeats the request until it reaches an authoritative DNS nameserver. When the authoritative DNS server is unable to provide what the recursive DNS needs, the DNS server will query another DNS nameserver. This DNS nameserver can then return the required information. Alternatively, the recursive DNS server can simply return the IP address for the domain or zone. This is often the fastest way to get the desired IP address from a nameserver and is the default for many DNS services.

FAQ

What Kinds Of Websites Should I Make?

It all depends on what your goals are. It may be best to sell online your products to build a company around your website. To make this happen, you'll need a reliable eCommerce website.

Blogs, portfolios, forums, and other types of websites are also popular. Each one of these websites requires different skills. To set up a blog for instance, you'll need to learn about blogging platforms like Blogger and WordPress.

You must decide how to personalize your site's appearance when choosing a platform. There are many themes and templates that you can use for free.

Once you've selected a platform to build your website, you can start adding content. Pages can include images, videos, text and links.

When you are ready to launch your new website, you can publish it online. Visitors can access your website in their browsers once it is published.

Is it better to hire a web designer than do it myself?

If you're looking to save some money, don’t pay for web designing services. However, if you are looking for high-quality results, hiring someone to design your website might not be worth it.

You can build websites yourself without paying for professional designers.

If you're willing, you can learn how you can make a site that is beautiful using free tools like Dreamweaver.

It is possible to outsource your project to a freelance web developer, who will charge by the hour rather than per-project.

How do I create a free website?

It all depends on the type of website you are trying to build. Are you looking to sell products, build a website, or create a portfolio online?

It's possible to make a website that is essential using HTML and CSS. Although HTML and CSS can be used to create simple websites, web developers prefer using a WYSIWYG editor like Dreamweaver or Frontpage.

If you don't have experience designing websites, hiring a freelance developer might be the best option. They can help create a custom website for you based on your requirements.

Freelancers can charge a flat fee or an hourly rate. The price of hiring a freelancer will vary depending on how much work is completed within a specified timeframe.

One example is that some companies charge $50-$100 for an hour. For larger projects, you'll typically get a higher rate.

Many freelance websites also list open jobs. You can search there before you contact potential developers directly.

What HTML and CSS are available to help me build my website?

Yes! If you've read this far, you should now know how to create a website.

Now that you know how to create the structure of a website, you'll also need to learn some HTML and CSS coding.

HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. It's like creating a recipe for a dish. You would list ingredients, directions, etc. Similarly, HTML tells a computer which parts of text appear bold, italicized, underlined, or linked to another part of the document. It is the language used to describe documents.

CSS stands as Cascading Stylesheets. This is a stylesheet for recipes. Instead of listing all ingredients and instructions, you simply write down the basic rules for things such as font sizes, colors or spacing.

HTML tells the browser how to format a web page; CSS tells it how to do it.

You don't have to be a prodigy if you don’t get the terms. Follow these steps to make beautiful websites.

What is a responsive design web design?

Responsive Web Design is a method of designing responsive websites. It allows content to display on all devices (desktop computers, tablets and smartphones), so that it can be viewed easily on any device. This allows users the ability to view a website simultaneously on different devices and still have access to other features like navigation menus, buttons, and so forth. The goal of RWD is to ensure that when a user views a site on any screen size, they view the exact version of the site.

Consider, for instance, that you're building a website for an eCommerce company and your products are sold primarily online. It is important to ensure that your website can be accessed on any device, including a smartphone.

A responsive website will adapt its layout to suit the device it is being viewed on. Your laptop will view the website exactly as a normal desktop site. It will be different if the page is viewed from your phone.

This allows you create a website that looks great on any device.

What should I include in my Portfolio?

These things should make up your portfolio.

Exemplaires of previous work
If possible, links to your site
You can also find links to your blog.
These are links to social media sites.
You can also find links to other designers' portfolios online.
Any awards that you have received.
References.
Examples of your work.
These links show how to communicate with clients.
Here are some links to show that you're eager to learn new technologies.
Links showing that you're flexible.
These links show your personality.
Videos showing your skills.

Statistics

In fact, according to Color Matters, a signature color can boost brand recognition by 80%. There's a lot of psychology behind people's perception of color, so it's important to understand how it's used with your industry. (websitebuilderexpert.com)
Studies show that 77% of satisfied customers will recommend your business or service to a friend after having a positive experience. (wix.com)
Is your web design optimized for mobile? Over 50% of internet users browse websites using a mobile device. (wix.com)
The average website user will read about 20% of the text on any given page, so it's crucial to entice them with an appropriate vibe. (websitebuilderexpert.com)
Did you know videos can boost organic search traffic to your website by 157%? (wix.com)

External Links

linkedin.com

LinkedIn: Sign up or log in

webflow.com

19 web design trends for 2018 | Blog

interaction-design.org

blog.hubspot.com

How To

How can you tell which CMS is better?

In general, there is a choice between two types Content Management System (CMS). Web Designers choose to use Dynamic CMS or static HTML. WordPress is the most used CMS. Joomla! is an excellent CMS for making your site professional and well-organized. Joomla is an open-source CMS which allows you create any design website without needing to know any coding. It's very easy to use and configure. Joomla has thousands of pre-made templates and extensions that can be used to create your website. Joomla is free to download. There are many benefits of choosing Joomla for your project.

Joomla is a powerful tool that allows you to manage every aspect of your website easily. It offers features like a drag-and-drop editor, multiple template support and image manager. You can also manage your blog, blog, eCommerce, news feeds, and more. Joomla is a great choice for anyone looking to create a website quickly and without having to learn how to code.

Joomla supports all devices. This makes it possible to easily develop websites for various platforms.

There are several reasons why people prefer Joomla over WordPress. There are many reasons why Joomla is preferred over WordPress.