What is DNS?¶
Domain Name System (DNS) is a foundational technology responsible for resolving human-readable hostnames into IP addresses, allowing systems to communicate with one another over the internet. For instance, when you enter a URL (like "www.google.com") into a web browser, DNS translates it to an IP address to locate and connect to the website's server.
Why is DNS Important?¶
DNS is critical for various reasons:
- Human-friendly Communication: Without DNS, users would need to memorize and enter IP addresses (like 123.456.78.9) instead of easily remembered names (like "www.example.com").
- Connection Speed: DNS resolution plays a pivotal role in determining how quickly users can connect to a desired server.
- Internet Infrastructure: DNS provides a global directory service, ensuring the seamless functioning of the internet.
Let's see in the next topic, how Best HTTP utilizes and improves DNS queries by implementing a DNS Cache.