DNS, Domain Names and URLs
What are they and how they relate
Hostwoody
Last Update 2 years ago
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical naming system for computers, services, or any resource connected to the Internet or a private network. It associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities. Most prominently, it translates human-friendly domain names to the numerical IP addresses needed for locating and identifying computer services and devices with the underlying network protocols.
Domain Names
A domain name is a unique identifier for a website or other online resource. It is what people type into their web browsers to access a website. Domain names are made up of two parts: a top-level domain (TLD) and a second-level domain (SLD). The TLD is the part of the domain name that comes at the end, such as .com, .net, or .org. The SLD is the part of the domain name that comes before the TLD, such as google, wikipedia, or youtube.
URLs
A URL, or Uniform Resource Locator, is a complete web address that tells a web browser how to find a particular web page. A URL consists of several parts, including the protocol (such as HTTP or HTTPS), the domain name, the path to the web page, and the query string (which contains additional information about the web page).
The Relationship Between DNS, Domain Names, and URLs
DNS is used to translate domain names into IP addresses. When you type a domain name into your web browser, your browser sends a request to a DNS server. The DNS server then looks up the domain name in its database and returns the corresponding IP address. Your browser then uses the IP address to connect to the website.
URLs are used to identify specific web pages on a website. When you click on a link on a website, your browser sends a request to the server for the web page that is specified by the URL. The server then sends the web page to your browser, which displays it on your screen.
How DNS Works
DNS is a distributed database that is managed by a network of DNS servers. Each DNS server is responsible for a certain portion of the DNS database. When a user requests a domain name, their DNS server will query another DNS server that is responsible for the domain name. This process continues until the domain name is resolved to an IP address.
The Importance of DNS
DNS is an essential part of the Internet. It allows users to access websites by typing in domain names instead of IP addresses. DNS also helps to protect users from malicious websites by preventing them from being able to resolve domain names that are associated with malware.
DNS, domain names, and URLs are all important parts of the Internet. DNS is used to translate domain names into IP addresses, while URLs are used to identify specific web pages on a website. Together, these technologies make it possible for users to easily access websites and other online resources.