Here's a preview from my zine, How DNS Works! If you want to see more comics like this, sign up for my saturday comics newsletter or browse more comics!
read the transcript!
there are 3 main levels of authoritative DNS servers
root (wearing 3 crowns): I’m in charge of EVERYTHING
.com nameserver (wearing 2 crowns): I’m in charge of all domains ending in .com
example.com nameserver (wearing 1 crown): I’m in charge of all domains ending in example.com
the root nameserver delegates
what’s the IP for example.com?
root: I am not concerned with petty details like that. Here’s the address of the .com nameserver.
the .com nameserver also delegates
what’s the IP for example.com?
.com nameserver: I am not concerned with petty details like that either. Here’s the address of the example.com nameserver
the example.com nameserver actually answers your questions
what’s the IP for example.com?
example.com nameserver: 93.184.216.34!
this design lets DNS be decentralized
example: for my domain jvns.ca
root (ICANN controls this!)
delegates to
.ca nameserver (Canada controls this!)
delegates to
jvns.ca nameserver (I control this!)
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