DNS · Website glossary

Recursive resolver

Quick answer · What is Recursive resolver?

A DNS service that finds an answer for a client by querying other servers as needed and usually caching results.

IN PRACTICE

Recursive resolver: an example

A device asks its configured resolver where to find www.example.com.

KEEP IN MIND

The resolver is not necessarily the provider where you edit the domain's authoritative records.

Put the idea to work

Frequently asked questions

What is a practical example of Recursive resolver?

A device asks its configured resolver where to find www.example.com.

Is my recursive resolver where I edit authoritative records?

The resolver is not necessarily the provider where you edit the domain's authoritative records.

Which concepts should I read alongside Recursive resolver?

Authoritative nameserver: A nameserver that answers from the DNS zone data it is responsible for serving.
DNS cache: A temporary store of DNS answers kept to avoid repeating the same lookup immediately.