How the Internet Works

DNS

Domain Name System.

Definition

Domain Name System. The internet's phone book. It translates domain names (like github.com) into IP addresses (like 140.82.121.3) so computers can locate each other on the network.

Example

When you visit reddit.com, your computer first asks a DNS server: 'What's the IP address for reddit.com?' The DNS server responds, and then your browser connects to that address.

More terms in How the Internet Works

URL Domain Name HTTP Request Server Client Frontend Backend Request-Response Cycle IP Address

See it in context Learn how DNS fits into the bigger picture of how software actually works.

Read the Guide →