DNS Lookup
Look up DNS records for any domain. Check A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, SOA, and PTR records.
How this tool works
Use these details to understand what the result measures, what it can miss, and how DNS Kit handles the query.
Data source
DNS Kit sends the requested name and record type to its API, which performs a DNS lookup and returns the records, response flags, TTL values and DNSSEC status it observed. Delegation Trace follows referrals from the root through the parent zone to the authoritative nameservers.
Caching and freshness
Standard lookup answers can come from recursive DNS caches. A TTL shows how long that record may remain cached; it does not prove when every resolver will refresh. Delegation Trace queries the chain to show the current referral path.
Privacy and retention
The hostname is sent to DNS Kit and the DNS infrastructure needed to answer the query. Aggregate API usage stores a SHA-256 hostname hash and coarse country for up to 90 days. Website analytics and session replay may capture visible inputs and results.
How to interpret the result
A returned record proves what the queried resolution path answered at that moment. Compare the owner name, value and TTL with the intended authoritative configuration. DNSSEC “validated” means the resolver confirmed a signed chain of trust for that response.
Worked example
If an A lookup returns 203.0.113.10 with TTL 300, that resolver can reuse the answer for about five minutes. A different cached answer elsewhere can remain until its own earlier TTL expires.
Limitations
- A recursive answer can be older than the authoritative zone because of caching.
- One successful path does not prove that every resolver or network sees the same answer.
- DNSSEC status can differ when a resolver does not validate signatures or when the chain is incomplete.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a DNS lookup?
- A DNS lookup queries the Domain Name System to retrieve records associated with a domain name, such as IP addresses (A/AAAA records), mail servers (MX), or text records (TXT).
- What DNS record types can I look up?
- This tool supports A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, SOA, and PTR record types.
- What is an A record?
- An A record maps a domain name to an IPv4 address. It's the most common DNS record type used to point a domain to a web server.
- What is an MX record?
- MX (Mail Exchange) records specify the mail servers responsible for receiving email for a domain. They include a priority value to determine server preference.
- What is a TXT record?
- TXT records store text information in DNS. They're commonly used for email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), domain verification, and other purposes.