A DNS TXT record, which stands for "Text Record," is a type of DNS record that contains textual information. These records are used to attach additional information to a domain name, and this information can range from random text to structured data. DNS TXT records can be used for a variety of purposes, including:
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): SPF is an e-mail verification protocol used to verify that an e-mail system is authorized to send e-mails on behalf of a specific domain. SPF records are often included in DNS TXT records.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): DKIM is another e-mail authentication protocol that uses digital signatures to ensure the integrity of e-mails. DKIM keys are sometimes stored in DNS TXT records.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): DMARC is an e-mail authentication standard that can combine SPF and DKIM records and define e-mail authentication policies. DMARC policies can also be included in DNS TXT records.
- Verification for services and applications: DNS TXT records are often used to verify ownership of domains and to set security keys for services such as Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and others.
- Information publication: Companies can use DNS TXT records to publish additional information about their organization or services, such as locations, contact information and policy information.
The SPF, DKIM and DMARC records are important to be able to mail without problems. Therefore, these are automatically configured when you order a hosting package from us.
A DNS TXT record consists of a domain name, a Time To Live (TTL) value and the textual content of the record. The textual content can consist of arbitrary text or structured data in the form of key-value pairs. It is important to note that DNS TXT records are not intended for storing large amounts of data, but rather for storing small pieces of information important for DNS-related authentication and authorization.