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GUIDE 04 / Domains & email

What does a domain do?A familiar name. A reachable service.

Understand domain names, DNS lookup, nameservers and common DNS records, with an animated lookup and an interactive record explorer.

7 min readBeginner friendlyDOCKOCK Editorial
THE SHORT VERSION

A domain name is an addressable name, not the website itself.

DNS answers questions about that name.

Hosting, DNS and domain registration can use different providers.

01 / Domains & DNS

Separate the name from what it points to.

A domain name is a human-readable name such as example.com. A website is the application or collection of pages someone visits. Hosting supplies the infrastructure serving those pages. The name and the service are related, but buying one does not automatically provide the others.

For a local studio, the domain can become a consistent identity while the underlying website changes. The studio can move its application to another host and update the relevant DNS records. Customers can keep using the same familiar address.

Reference: Cloudflare: domain names
02 / Domains & DNS

What happens after someone types the name?

A browser needs a destination before it can connect. The device asks a DNS resolver, which may already have a cached answer. If not, the resolver can follow the DNS hierarchy to find the authoritative nameservers responsible for the domain and obtain the requested record.

DNS supplies the answer; it does not carry the website’s page content. Once the address is known, the browser establishes the connection to the service. HTTPS adds a separate layer for authenticating the server name and protecting traffic.

Reference: Cloudflare: how DNS works
INTERACTIVE EXPLAINERA cached answer takes a shorter path.
A cached answer takes a shorter path.
https://example.comHTTPS
ResolverAsks on your behalf
DNS hierarchyRoot → TLD → authority
AnswerDestination address
Browser connects to the destination using HTTPS

This simplified path assumes the needed answer is not cached. Real lookups can reuse cached delegation information and may follow aliases.

https://example.comHTTPS
Resolver cacheStill-valid stored answer
AnswerDestination address
Browser connects to the destination using HTTPS

A still-valid cached answer can avoid another authoritative lookup. TTL affects caching; DNS does not stream the website content.

Conceptual example · explore each state
03 / Domains & DNS

Different records answer different questions.

An A record associates a name with an IPv4 address; AAAA serves the corresponding IPv6 role. A CNAME makes one name an alias of another. MX records identify the servers receiving mail for a domain. TXT records hold text used for purposes such as domain verification and email policy.

Use the record explorer below to distinguish web and email configuration. An MX record is not a website route. A TXT verification record does not create an inbox. Each record participates in a specific workflow, and its value must match the service you are connecting.

Reference: Cloudflare: DNS records
INTERACTIVE EXPLAINERMatch a DNS record to its job.
Match a DNS record to its job.
A / AAAAHostname → address
www.example.comName being queried
Server IP addressExample answer

A and AAAA return IPv4 and IPv6 addresses respectively. The destination still needs to serve your hostname.

CNAMEHostname → another hostname
www.example.comName being queried
hosting.example.netExample answer

An alias points to a name, whose address is resolved in turn. It is not an HTTP redirect and does not change the URL shown in the browser.

MXDomain → receiving mail host
example.comName being queried
mail.example.comExample answer

The mail exchanger receives incoming messages for the domain. Mailbox setup happens in the mail system, not in this record.

TXTName → published text
example.comName being queried
Verification / mail policyExample answer

TXT records publish text for a specific purpose. The service reading that value determines how to interpret it.

Conceptual example · explore each state
Different records answer different questions.
RecordPurposeExample use
A / AAAAAddress lookupSend a hostname to a server address
CNAMEAlias to another hostnameConnect www to a hosting target
MXIncoming mail destinationFind the domain’s mail service
TXTPublished textDomain verification or mail authentication
04 / Domains & DNS

Registrar, DNS provider and host can be separate.

The registrar manages the domain’s registration. The DNS provider operates the authoritative zone containing its records. The hosting provider runs the application infrastructure. A company may sell all three, but they remain distinct jobs.

Before changing nameservers, make a record of everything the domain currently supports: the website, mail, verification tokens and less obvious subdomains. A move that preserves only the web record can leave other services disconnected. Plan the whole zone, not just the homepage.

Reference: Cloudflare: domain names
05 / Domains & DNS

A DNS change is not a worldwide instant switch.

Resolvers cache answers for a period governed by the record’s time to live, or TTL. After a change, some clients can continue using an earlier cached answer until it expires. Different caches can therefore observe a transition at different times.

For the studio’s website move, keep the previous destination available while the change settles, check the authoritative answer, and test from more than one network. Then verify the application and its certificate. A correct DNS answer is one part of a working service, not the entire deployment.

Reference: Cloudflare: how DNS works
CLEAR UP THE DETAILS

Common questions.

Does buying a domain include a website?

Not by itself. Registration gives you the domain for a registration period. Hosting, a website and email are separate services, even when sold together.

Can my website and email use different providers?

Yes. Their relevant DNS records can point to different systems. Preserve both sets of records during a migration.

Does DNS automatically enable HTTPS?

No. HTTPS also requires the destination to serve the hostname with suitable TLS configuration and a valid certificate.

WHERE DOCKOCK FITS

Connect the concept to your work.

DOCKOCK puts domain records, application routes and email configuration in the same workspace, helping you follow a name to its intended service.

Explore domains & dns in DOCKOCK

Keep learning from the source.

Further reading from the teams and documentation behind these technologies.

Cloudflare: domain namesCloudflare: how DNS worksCloudflare: DNS records
CONTINUE EXPLORING

What is a subdomain?

Give your website, dashboard and API their own clear addresses.

Read the next guide