The Domain Name System, commonly abbreviated as DNS, is an integral component of the internet’s infrastructure, serving as the protocol that translates human-friendly domain names into IP addresses that computers use to identify each other on the network. When a user enters a domain name like www.example.com into a web browser, the DNS servers take on the role of translating that name into a numeric IP address such as 192.0.2.1, which is the actual location of the server hosting the website. This system is analogous to a phone book for the internet, allowing users to use easy-to-remember domain names instead of having to memorize complex numerical IP addresses. The DNS is a distributed and hierarchical system, with different levels of DNS servers working together to provide the correct IP address. This system includes root servers at the top level, which delegate control to top-level domain servers for domains such as .com, .net, and .org, and further down to authoritative name servers that are responsible for specific domains. The DNS ensures that internet navigation is user-friendly and efficient, playing a crucial role in the functionality of the internet.
