Definition
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical, distributed naming service that translates human-readable domain names like example.com into the numerical IP addresses that computers use to reach one another. It operates primarily on port 53, using UDP for ordinary lookups and TCP for larger transfers. Without DNS, every connection would require memorizing raw addresses, so it underpins almost all access to self-hosted services that are reached by name rather than by bare IP.
Record types
DNS stores several record types. An A record maps a name to an IPv4 address, while an AAAA record maps it to IPv6. A CNAME creates an alias pointing one name at another. MX records direct email to the correct mail servers, and TXT records hold arbitrary text, commonly used for domain-ownership verification and email authentication.
Resolvers and authoritative servers
A recursive resolver does the legwork: it queries other servers on your behalf, walking the hierarchy until it finds an answer, then caches it. An authoritative nameserver holds the original, definitive records for a domain and answers directly from its own data. When you point a domain at a home node, you edit records at the authoritative level, and resolvers worldwide eventually pick up the change as caches expire.
Sovereignty considerations
DNS lookups can leak which services you contact, so privacy-minded operators run their own resolver or use encrypted transports. Self-hosting a personal domain that points to a node is a common first step toward owning your own infrastructure.
DNS depends on the addressing scheme described in TCP/IP, and home setups whose public address changes frequently often pair it with Dynamic DNS.
In Simple Terms
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical, distributed naming service that translates human-readable domain names like example.com into the numerical IP addresses that computers…