What are A records?

In DNS, A records also known as host records represent the central records of DNS. DNS (Domain Name System) is the distributed system that does the mapping of human-readable names with the IP address

DNS is the most important component of the functionality of theinternet for a long time

Similarly, A records have their own significance as they show the address. These records link a domain to an IP address.

For instance, yourdomain.com has an A record that points to 68.178.232.100. This means that all traffic to yourdomain.com will be directed to the server with IP address 68.178.232.100.

The value of an A record is always an IP address, and multiple A records can be configured for one domain name.

Format of A Record-

The format of A record follows the below structure –

When Are A Records Used –

The most important use of A records is the mapping of IP address with a human-readable address. This enables the users to access and load different websites by just recalling the names of websites rather than remembering the complex IP addresses.

DNS A records are also used for accessing a Domain Name System-based Blackhole List (DNSBL). DNSBL can help to identify spammers and thus allowing mail servers to identify them and take action accordingly.