What is the primary function of a Host (A) record in DNS?

What is the primary function of a Host (A) record in DNS?

• A. Mapping a hostname to an IP address
• B. Mapping an IP address to a hostname
• C. Providing reverse lookups for the domain
• D. Defining mail server for domain

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that a Host A record maps a host name to an IPv4 address, enabling forward DNS lookups so a client can reach the correct server. When you resolve a domain, the A record provides the IPv4 address to connect to, which is how your browser or app reaches the right host. The reverse mapping—turning an IP back into a host name—is handled by PTR records, not A records. If you need to specify where email for a domain should be delivered, that’s done with MX records. And for IPv6 addresses, the corresponding record is AAAA, which maps a host name to an IPv6 address.

The main idea is that a Host A record maps a host name to an IPv4 address, enabling forward DNS lookups so a client can reach the correct server. When you resolve a domain, the A record provides the IPv4 address to connect to, which is how your browser or app reaches the right host. The reverse mapping—turning an IP back into a host name—is handled by PTR records, not A records. If you need to specify where email for a domain should be delivered, that’s done with MX records. And for IPv6 addresses, the corresponding record is AAAA, which maps a host name to an IPv6 address.