CNAME record

Points one name at another name rather than at an address. The resolver then looks up the target.

What one looks like

www.example.com.  3600  IN  CNAME  example.com.

Things worth knowing

  • A name with a CNAME cannot carry any other record — no MX, no TXT alongside it.
  • The standard forbids a CNAME on the bare domain; providers offer ALIAS or ANAME records to work around it.
  • Chains of CNAMEs add a lookup each and slow resolution.

Look up a real CNAME record

Query any domain live and see every record type with its TTL.

Run a DNS lookup