Today we will explore the TXT record. It is an exciting and helpful DNS record type. So, first, we will define its purpose and then move to the importance of implementing it. And the final stage of our article is to review what the TXT record looks like (its structure). So, without further ado, let’s get down to business.
Definition of TXT record
A TXT record is a DNS record that exposes text data to sources outside of your domain. Many TXT records can be found in a top-level domain name. Human-readable facts on servers, networks, databases, and other IT information are frequent in TXT records. Sender Policy Framework (SPF), DomainKeys (DK), and DomainKeys Identified E-mail (DKIM) are some of the applications for TXT records.
Why do you need to implement it?
DNS TXT records are used to store TXT entries with various functions (DKIM, SPF, DMARC, MTA-STS). All of them can be merged to increase their capabilities. As a result, every domain has a large number of TXT records. Once you’ve determined why you’ll be utilizing them, all you have to do now is add them to your domain’s settings.
So, we use TXT records for the following purposes:
- Networking without configuration Service discovery via DNS. It’s used to set up a network quickly.
- Sender Policy Framework (SPF). This is a system for verifying and reporting the sender. It may cut down on SPAM.
- DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM). This is a technique of encryption that prevents e-mail spoofing. It uses public and private keys, which are stored in TXT records.
- Verification of ownership. It’s one of the simplest ways to demonstrate that you own a specific domain. Many services require a TXT record to be added to the domain name. You might be able to accomplish it if you’re the administrator. This will be impossible if you are not.
- Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC). It sets behavior policies by combining the previous two, the SPF and DKIM. It improves security.
TXT record structure
In 1993 The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) introduced an experimental TXT record format. Nowadays, it looks like this:
Host: dns4work.com – the domain or hostname for the TXT record you’re creating
Type: TXT – it could also be SPF, DKIM, DMARC, etc
Points to: depending on the type of record
TTL: 1h – stands for time-to-live value.
Conclusion
Let’s sum up. A TXT record is a resource record that allows text to be associated with a zone. Domain owners can use this record to introduce any textual information into DNS records. Therefore, it’s worthwhile to give it a shot and integrate it into your Domain Name System. Best of luck!