- DNS (Domain Name System) translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses.
- Works like a phonebook for the internet.
- When you enter a domain, DNS finds the IP of the server hosting the site.
- Key components:
- DNS Resolver: Client-side component that initiates the query.
- Root Server: Directs to TLD servers (.com, .org, etc.).
- TLD Server: Directs to the authoritative server for the domain.
- Authoritative Server: Holds the actual IP address of the domain.
- Uses caching to speed up repeated lookups.
- Critical for routing traffic to websites and services.