CNAME vs A Record: Key Differences Explained

The Domain Name System (DNS) translates user-friendly domain names into IP addresses to make it easier for us to locate content online. CNAME and A Records play a vital role in how this system functions, but it can be difficult to understand the difference between them.

A Records guide users to the correct server by mapping domain names to IP addresses. Meanwhile, CNAME Records connect multiple domains. Beyond establishing different types of connections, you’ll also use these records in different circumstances.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the DNS and its components. Then, we’ll introduce you to both A Records and CNAME Records and discuss the differences between them. Let’s get started!

An Introduction to DNS Records

The Domain Name System (DNS) was established so that we can access websites on the internet using domain names.

Without this, we’d have to use the IP addresses that computers use to find each other. These addresses consist of long strings of numbers, so they’re much more difficult to remember.

The DNS assigns each website a user-friendly domain name that’s tied to an IP address. So when a visitor enters your domain name into a web browser, the DNS server automatically converts it to the IP address to fetch the relevant page.

Now, DNS records are at the center of this process. They tell the DNS which domain names are associated with each of the IP addresses. Essentially, they facilitate the whole process, enabling your browser to send requests to the right place.

These records deal with information that defines how your domain manages requests. There are different record types, the most important ones being A Records and CNAME Records.

What Is an A Record?

An A Record (otherwise known as “Address Record”) is the most basic type of DNS record. Its purpose is to help you access the intended website, without needing to use the IP address.

You can think of an A Record as the central link that ties the domain name to the IP address. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to reach a website by entering its domain name.

When you type “namehero.com” into the search bar, the A Record gets to work digging out the relevant IP address. Therefore, these records play a crucial role in the DNS.

They’re also extremely important for managing your website’s domains effectively. Since they’re responsible for creating a direct connection between domains and IPs, they influence the accessibility of your website.

What is a CNAME Record?

A CNAME Record (or “Canonical Name Record”) is another type of DNS record. In simple terms, it enables you to access the same website using different domains.

CNAME Records can be confusing because people use different terms to talk about them. Essentially, these records work by linking an alias domain (such as a subdomain) to a target domain (which is also called a parent domain or primary domain).

Let’s say a user enters your subdomain into a web browser. In this instance, the DNS CNAME Record looks up the target domain name and directs the user to the IP address associated with the target.

So, while you can think of A Records as tying domains to IP addresses, you can think of CNAME Records as tying domains to a target domain. Another way to conceive of this record type is to compare it to the way forwarding addresses work in the postal system.

If you set up mail forwarding when you move house, your post gets automatically routed to your new address. Similarly, when someone visits your alias domain name, the CNAME Record immediately directs the user to the target domain.

CNAME vs A Record: 3 Key Differences

Now that you know more about both CNAME and A Records, let’s take a look at the main differences between them.

1. Use Case

Both of these protocols play a vital role in the DNS, but they function in different ways.

In most cases, once you’ve set up your website, you shouldn’t need to do anything with your A Records.

That’s because all A Records do is link your domain name to a corresponding IP address. This is done to successfully identify your website on the hosting server.

As you’d expect, A Records ensure a smooth experience in fetching your content. So, you’d only need to change this record type if you switch to a different hosting provider or migrate your site to a private server.

CNAME Records are also important for managing your website’s domains. They create aliases of your primary domain so you can point different domains to the same destination.

This makes CNAME Records useful in the following situations:

• Managing multiple domains
• Simplifying server migrations
• Creating memorable domains for different sections of your website e.g. blog, shop, etc

As you can see, CNAME Records are particularly good for large websites that have multiple domains pointing to the same server.

2. Connection

Another difference between CNAME and A Records is the type of connection they facilitate.

An A Record points a domain to the server IP address. It establishes a direct connection that allows users to quickly access your content online.

CNAME Records don’t directly connect to IP addresses. Instead, they point to another domain name, which eventually leads to the server IP address.

Although you’re sure to reach the right destination eventually, CNAME Records involve an indirect connection. This requires additional DNS lookup, which can impact website performance.

3. Limitations

A Records don’t have many restrictions in place.

They’re not suitable for load balancing. And, in the unlikely event that multiple A Records are created for the same IP address, data duplication may occur.

However, CNAME Records are much more limited. For starters, they don’t play nicely with other DNS record types such as MX records (which point to mail servers). This means that they shouldn’t be used for the apex domain, since you’re likely to run into email deliverability issues.

How to Create and Manage Your DNS Records

As we’ve discussed, most website owners may never need to create or edit their records.

That said, you may need them to migrate to a new web server. You may also have to update your DNS settings if you change your domain name or create subdomains for your site.

Not all web hosting providers grant this level of control. That’s why it’s important to choose a quality hosting service like NameHero:

At NameHero, your website lives on LiteSpeed servers with in-built caching, so performance is never an issue. All plans also come with daily backups, a free SSL certificate, automatic updates, and 24/7 support.

The best part about using NameHero is that you’ll get access to an intuitive cPanel dashboard. This makes it easy to manage all your domains, certificates, and website resources from one central hub.

When you need to create or modify your DNS records, log into cPanel, and in the Domains section, click on Zone Editor:

You can then find the domain for the DNS you’d like to change. Click on the Manage button next to it. Now, you’re able to delete, edit, or add new records.

When you click on Add Record, you can select the appropriate record type from the dropdown that appears. This includes A Records and CNAME Records.

Then, simply save your changes. Note that if you set up your NameHero hosting account using the default nameservers, your A Record has been set up for you.

Conclusion

The DNS is a valuable service that makes the internet easy to navigate. In order to match browsers with the correct servers, it relies on various records to carry this information.

A Records link domains with corresponding IP addresses whereas CNAME Records connect domains to a main domain (that eventually routes to the IP address). This makes the latter ideal for creating aliases and managing multiple domains. You might never need to edit your records, but if you do, you’ll want a web hosting provider that simplifies this process.

With NameHero, you can manage all your DNS settings from a beginner-friendly cPanel dashboard. Our hosting plans come with a free SSL certificate, unlimited NVMe storage, LiteSpeed caching, and more. Check out our packages today!