---
title: "DNS Server"
description: "A DNS server answers domain name queries and returns the matching IP addresses. Learn the difference between recursive, authoritative and caching servers."
url: "https://nodea.io/en/glossary/dns-server"
lang: "en"
updated: "2026-07-13"
---

# DNS Server

> A DNS server is a networked machine that answers queries about domain names, returning the IP addresses and other zone records associated with them.

A **DNS server** is a networked machine that answers queries about domain names, returning the IP addresses and other zone records tied to them. It is part of the distributed [DNS](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/dns) system that lets us use readable names such as *example.com* instead of memorising strings of digits. Without working DNS servers, a website and its email stay unreachable even when the web server itself is running perfectly.

## How a DNS server works

In practice several server types play different roles in the name-resolution chain:

- **Recursive server (resolver)** — accepts a user's query and asks other servers until it obtains a final answer; public resolvers such as 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8 are common examples.
- **Authoritative server** — stores the domain's actual zone and returns binding answers about its records (pointed to by [NS records](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/ns-record)).
- **Caching server** — remembers answers for the duration of their [TTL](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/ttl) to speed up repeated lookups and reduce network load.

The authoritative answer — for example an [A record](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/a-record) with an IPv4 address — is the source of truth; resolvers merely cache and distribute it.

## DNS servers in practice

You work with DNS servers at every infrastructure change: pointing a domain at hosting, migrating to a new server, configuring email (MX, SPF, DKIM records) or deploying a CDN. Records are edited in the control panel of a DNS provider or domain registrar. Best practices include keeping at least two name servers in separate networks, lowering the TTL before a planned change, and verifying records after a migration with *dig* or *nslookup*. Many companies rely on DNS servers bundled with their hosting, which simplifies zone management from a single panel.

### How many DNS servers should a domain have?

Standards recommend at least two name servers listed in the NS records, ideally in different locations and networks. Redundancy means that if one server fails, the other still answers queries and the domain stays reachable.

### What is the difference between a recursive and an authoritative DNS server?

A recursive server queries other servers on the user's behalf and returns a final answer, while an authoritative server holds the domain's actual zone and is the definitive source of truth for its records. They are distinct roles, though a single system can play both.

## Related

- [DNS](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/dns)
- [A record](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/a-record)
- [NS record](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/ns-record)
- [DNS propagation](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/dns-propagation)
- [TTL](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/ttl)

---

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