DNS · Website glossary

DNS cache

Quick answer · What is DNS cache?

A temporary store of DNS answers kept to avoid repeating the same lookup immediately.

IN PRACTICE

DNS cache: an example

Two visitors may see different answers if their resolvers cached records at different times.

KEEP IN MIND

Clearing one computer's cache does not clear every resolver on the internet.

Put the idea to work

Frequently asked questions

What is a practical example of DNS cache?

Two visitors may see different answers if their resolvers cached records at different times.

Does clearing my computer's DNS cache clear every resolver?

Clearing one computer's cache does not clear every resolver on the internet.

Which concepts should I read alongside DNS cache?

DNS TTL: Time to live specifies how long a DNS answer may remain in a cache before it needs refreshing.
Recursive resolver: A DNS service that finds an answer for a client by querying other servers as needed and usually caching results.