---
title: "Wildcard DNS"
description: "Wildcard DNS is a record covering all undefined subdomains in a domain. See how the asterisk works in DNS and what it is used for."
url: "https://nodea.io/en/glossary/wildcard-dns"
lang: "en"
updated: "2026-07-13"
---

# Wildcard DNS

> Wildcard DNS is a special record with an asterisk (\*) that matches all subdomains not defined separately and directs them to a specified address.

**Wildcard DNS** is a special entry in [DNS](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/dns) configuration in which an asterisk (\*) is used in place of a subdomain name. Such a record matches all subdomains that have not been defined separately and directs them to a specified address. Instead of creating an entry for every subdomain individually, one record handles any number of them.

## How the asterisk works in DNS

When a query reaches a [DNS server](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/dns-server), it first checks for records that exactly match the requested name. If none exists but a wildcard record does, the server uses it. For example, an entry for \*.example.com will answer queries for shop.example.com, blog.example.com or any other previously undefined subdomain. A wildcard is most often implemented as an A or [CNAME](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/cname-record) record, and how long it is cached depends on the [TTL](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/ttl) parameter.

## Uses and pitfalls

Wildcard DNS is convenient in SaaS-type services, where each customer gets their own subdomain, and anywhere subdomains are created dynamically and making separate records would be impractical. But its limitations must be kept in mind: a wildcard record does not apply if any other record exists for a given branch, and overly broad use can direct traffic to unexpected addresses. A separate matter is encryption — for all subdomains to work over HTTPS, a wildcard certificate (\*.domain) is needed, since wildcard DNS only routes traffic without securing the connection. A sensibly configured wildcard simplifies managing a large number of subdomains, but requires awareness of which names you actually intend it to cover.

### Will an SSL certificate cover subdomains from wildcard DNS?

Not automatically — a separate wildcard certificate (\*.domain.com) is needed, which secures all subdomains. Wildcard DNS routes traffic, while wildcard SSL encrypts the connection for those subdomains.

## Related

- [DNS](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/dns)
- [DNS Server](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/dns-server)
- [CNAME record](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/cname-record)
- [TTL](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/ttl)

---

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