Suggest an editImprove this articleRefine the answer for “What is an A record?”. Your changes go to moderation before they’re published.Approval requiredContentWhat you’re changing🇺🇸EN🇺🇦UAPreviewTitle (EN)Short answer (EN)**An A record (Address record)** is a **DNS record** that **links a domain name to the server's IPv4 address**. **Key point:** without an A record a site will not open by its domain name, and one domain can have several A records for load balancing.Shown above the full answer for quick recall.Answer (EN)Image**An A record (Address record)** is a **DNS record** that **links a domain name to the server's IPv4 address**. In simpler terms: **an A record tells DNS which IP address to go to when a domain is requested**. --- ## Why an A record is needed When you type in the browser: ``` example.com ``` DNS looks up the **A record** and gets the answer: ``` example.com -> 93.184.216.34 ``` After that, the browser: - connects to the server **by IP** - loads the site **Without an A record, a site will not open by its domain name**. --- ## What an A record actually does An A record: - works only with **IPv4** - links **name -> IP** - is used for sites, APIs, services This is the **most basic and most important DNS record**. --- ## Example of an A record Simplified: | Name | Type | Value | |---|---|---| | [example.com](http://example.com) | A | 93.184.216.34 | | [www.example.com](http://www.example.com) | A | 93.184.216.34 | Both names lead to the same server. --- ## Important points for an interview - an A record -> **IPv4** - for IPv6, an **AAAA record** is used - one domain can have **several A records** (load balancing) - an A record is stored in a **DNS zone** --- ## A common trick question *Can a domain have no A record?* Yes, if: - the domain is used only for mail (MX) - or as a CNAME But **for a website, an A record is almost always needed**. --- ## Real-life example An A record is like: - a person's name -> a phone number The name is the domain The number is the IP address --- ## Short interview answer Remember this formulation: > **An A record is a DNS record that links a domain name to the server's IPv4 address and is used to determine where to route network requests.**For the reviewerNote to the moderator (optional)Visible only to the moderator. Helps review go faster.