What is the Domain Name System (DNS)?

What is the full form of DNS?

The full form of DNS is Domain Name System.

The Domain Name System (DNS) is the internet's equivalent of a phone book. It translates human-readable domain names (like www.example.com) into machine-readable IP addresses (like 192.0.2.44), which computers use to communicate with each other. Without DNS, you would need to remember complex IP addresses for every website you visit – a nearly impossible task.

Think of it this way: you know your friend's name, but your computer needs their phone number to call them. DNS acts as the intermediary, looking up the "phone number" (IP address) based on the "name" (domain name).

How DNS Works: A Simplified Explanation

1. You type a website address (domain name) into your browser.
2. Your computer contacts a DNS resolver, which is like a local phone book.
3. The resolver checks its cache (a temporary storage of recently looked-up addresses). If the address is found, it's returned quickly.
4. If not in the cache, the resolver queries DNS servers, working its way up a hierarchy (root servers, top-level domain servers, authoritative name servers) until it finds the IP address associated with the domain name.
5. The IP address is returned to your computer.
6. Your computer uses the IP address to connect to the website's server and load the webpage.

Examples of DNS in Action

• www.google.com translates to an IP address allowing you to access Google Search.
• www.amazon.com translates to an IP address that lets you shop on Amazon.
• www.wikipedia.org translates to an IP address that enables access to Wikipedia.

DNS servers are essential for the proper functioning of the internet, providing the crucial link between human-friendly website addresses and the numerical addresses computers understand.