DNS record lookup and SSL certificate inspection are essential diagnostics for anyone managing websites, APIs, or email infrastructure. Understanding what DNS records your domain publishes helps you troubleshoot propagation delays, configure email authentication, and verify correct resolution worldwide.
This tool performs real DNS lookups via Google's DNS-over-HTTPS API — the same infrastructure that powers Google's public DNS resolver at 8.8.8.8. It queries A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS, TXT, and SOA records simultaneously and displays them in a readable format with explanations. For SSL, it checks the latest certificate from Certificate Transparency logs via crt.sh.
Unlike other DNS tools that require installing CLI tools or visiting multiple sites, this web-based checker gives you instant results for any domain. Use it to verify DNS propagation after migrating hosting, check that MX records point to the right mail servers, confirm SPF and DKIM TXT records are published, or inspect SSL certificate expiry dates before they cause browser warnings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:How does this DNS lookup tool work?
It uses Google's DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) API to perform real DNS lookups directly from your browser. When you type a domain, it queries Google's public DNS resolver (8.8.8.8) over HTTPS and displays the returned records. For SSL information, it queries crt.sh Certificate Transparency logs to find the most recent certificate issued for the domain. All lookups happen client-side with no intermediate server.
Q:What is the difference between A and AAAA records?
A records map a domain to an IPv4 address (like 76.76.21.21). AAAA records map to an IPv6 address (like 2606:4700:20::681a:89b). Both direct traffic to a server, but they use different IP formats. Modern hosting providers typically serve both record types. Your browser prefers IPv6 when your network supports it.
Q:What information does an SSL certificate reveal?
An SSL certificate shows the domain it was issued for (subject), the Certificate Authority that signed it (issuer, like Let's Encrypt), the validity period (not-before and not-after dates), Subject Alternative Names (additional domains covered), and the certificate chain back to a trusted root. Checking these helps diagnose expired certs, misconfigured domains, or untrusted issuers.
Q:Why does this tool use public APIs instead of a backend server?
Real DNS and SSL checks require network access. Instead of routing through a backend server (which adds latency and cost), this tool queries Google's DNS-over-HTTPS API and crt.sh Certificate Transparency logs directly from your browser. Both APIs are free, publicly available, and require no API key. This means the tool works instantly and your domain lookups go direct to the source.
Q:What are the most common DNS record types I should know?
The essential DNS record types are: A (IPv4 address), AAAA (IPv6 address), CNAME (domain aliasing), MX (mail server routing), NS (authoritative name servers), TXT (verification and email security like SPF/DKIM/DMARC), and SOA (zone administration metadata). Every developer managing websites or infrastructure should understand these seven types.