what is dns and how it works

DNS stands for Domain Name System, and it is a system that translates human-readable domain names, such as www.example.com, into machine-readable IP addresses, such as 192.0.2.1, which computers use to connect to each other. Every device connected to the internet has its own IP address, and DNS acts like a phonebook for the internet, allowing users to type in the name of a website and then finding the right IP address for them.

Here is how DNS works:

1. A user enters a web address or domain name into a browser.
2. The browser sends a message, called a recursive DNS query, to the network to find out which IP or network address the domain corresponds to.
3. The query goes to a recursive DNS server, also known as a recursive resolver, which is usually managed by the internet service provider (ISP) .
4. The recursive resolver knows which other DNS servers it needs to ask to resolve the name of a site with its IP address.
5. The servers that actually have the needed information are called authoritative name servers.
6. The recursive resolver sends a query to the authoritative name server to get the IP address for the domain name.
7. The authoritative name server responds with the IP address.
8. The recursive resolver sends the IP address back to the browser.
9. The browser uses the IP address to connect to the website.

DNS servers are distributed throughout the internet in a hierarchy of authority, and access providers, enterprises, governments, universities, and other organizations typically have their own assigned ranges of IP addresses and an assigned domain name. DNS mapping is essential for web browsing and most other internet activities, as it quickly provides the information necessary to connect users to remote hosts.