DNS · Website glossary

DNS delegation

Quick answer · What is DNS delegation?

The assignment of authority for a child zone to nameservers, recorded in its parent zone.

IN PRACTICE

DNS delegation: an example

A team delegates shop.example.com to a separate DNS service while retaining example.com elsewhere.

KEEP IN MIND

Delegation changes responsibility for a namespace; it does not automatically copy its existing records.

Put the idea to work

Frequently asked questions

What is a practical example of DNS delegation?

A team delegates shop.example.com to a separate DNS service while retaining example.com elsewhere.

Does delegation automatically copy the existing DNS records?

Delegation changes responsibility for a namespace; it does not automatically copy its existing records.

Which concepts should I read alongside DNS delegation?

NS record: A DNS record that identifies a nameserver responsible for a zone.
DNS zone: An administratively managed portion of the DNS namespace for which a server provides authoritative data.