DNS Explained
How the Domain Name System Works
Understand DNS in simple terms. Learn about A records, CNAME, MX records, and how to configure your domain for any platform.
How DNS works
Follow the journey of a DNS lookup, step by step.
Browser receives the request
DNS record types
Select a record type to see examples and usage.
A Record
Points domain to IPv4 address
Common Use
Connect domain to web hosting server
Example
@ → 192.0.2.1Configuration
Type: A
Host: @
Value: 192.0.2.1
TTL: 3600Automatic DNS configuration
namemyapp configures DNS automatically for popular platforms. Select your hosting provider and we handle the rest.
Vercel
CNAME → cname.vercel-dns.com
Netlify
A → 75.2.60.5
Cloudflare
Automatic proxy
AWS
A → Load Balancer IP
Railway
CNAME → app.railway.app
Render
CNAME → onrender.com
Heroku
CNAME → herokudns.com
GitHub Pages
A → 185.199.108.153
Select your hosting provider and we configure DNS automatically — no manual setup required.
DNS propagation timeline
How long DNS changes take to spread across the internet.
Cloudflare DNS
Ultra-fast propagation with our DNS provider
Major ISPs
Most users will see the changes
Global Networks
International DNS servers update
Full Propagation
Guaranteed complete worldwide (rare cases)
Pro tip
Lower your TTL (Time To Live) to 300 seconds before making DNS changes. This speeds up propagation by telling DNS servers to refresh more frequently.
DNS questions
What is DNS?
What is an A record?
What is a CNAME record?
How long does DNS take to update?
What are MX records for?
Do I need to manage DNS myself?
Easy DNS management
Register your domain with namemyapp and get one-click DNS setup for popular platforms.
