## Top DNS APIs for Developers Have you ever wondered how your smartphone or PC identifies the exact place to go when you type in a domain name such as criciree.com? It is not by luck but because all devices that are connected to the internet utilize an underlying domain name system, which has DNS servers at its core. Before we move any further, what is a DNS server, and how does it work. ## What is a DNS Address? DNS is basically an intuitive technology that allows users to access websites with much ease. Often referred to as the internet's phonebook, Domain Name System (DNS) maintains and manages a directory of domain names and translates them into Internet Protocol (IP) Addresses. The DNS server contains a database of several public IP addresses and their associated hostnames. When you type the domain name of the website you wish to visit, the DNS server helps to match it to its associated IP address. Since it is easier to remember a domain or a hostname, users are not required to memorize the IP address, which is usually in numbers. Conversely, network devices and computers don't work well with names when interacting with each other on the internet. It is for this reason that they use IP addresses. Whenever you connect to the internet, you are assigned a DNS server by your ISP. However, it can be slower, and it may experience some downtime. You can avoid these troubles by switching to a public DNS server from reputable providers. ## What is a DNS API? As technology continues to evolve, the things that can be performed by DNS have become endless. One of the ways that the core functions of DNS can be amplified is through the use of an Application Programming Interface (API). Therefore, a DNS API can be considered to be a set of improved DNS protocols that can be used to effect and perform various functions in the DNS servers. ## When to Use a DNS API? A Domain boasts several records. As such, a DNS server can be queried to perform various tasks such as determining the IP address of the primary domain (A record), DNS servers (NS nameservers), mail servers (MX records), and a host of other things such as SPF records (TXT records). DNS APIs become vitally crucial when performing DNS queries. They help you to achieve such queries through HTTP requests, which yield results in XML/JSON-encoded objects. DNS APIs can be used to get location information about an IP address, to automate settings, and change mail server (MX) and Text (TXT) records, as well as delete records. ## RapidAPI DNS APIs All APIs on RapidAPI.com are available in any programming language. Navigate to any API page, enter the required parameters, and test an endpoint right in your browser. ## Related Resources - What is JSON? - What is DNS Hosting? - DNS Host