The First Query

Read a DNS answer

The situation

Time to actually talk to DNS. `dig` is your scalpel: it shows you the question asked, the answer returned, the TTL, and which server replied. Learn to read it and DNS stops being magic.

An **A** record maps a name to an IPv4 address; **AAAA** maps it to IPv6. `dig` prints them in the ANSWER SECTION as `name TTL IN TYPE value`.

💡`dig +short <name>` strips everything but the answer — perfect for scripts and quick checks.

Anatomy of a dig answer

1
dig example.com
your question
2
resolver
answers
3
ANSWER SECTION
name · TTL · A · IP

▶

3:00

Video explainer · coming soon

DNS in 3 minutes

The whole system at a glance: names, resolvers, records.

Why it matters in production: Every DNS investigation starts with a clean `dig`. Reading the ANSWER SECTION fluently is the single most useful DNS skill.

Objective

Query the A and AAAA records for example.com and read both addresses.

learner@nameforge

The Nameforge lab is live. Type `help` to see what this lab understands.

Use the chips below to get started — then go off-script.

learner@nameforge:~$

Evidence

○Queried example.com
○Queried the IPv6 (AAAA) record
○Found the IPv4 (A) address
○Found the IPv6 (AAAA) address

Next: Start with `dig example.com`.

Hints

Stuck? Reveal hints one at a time — the validation panel already tells you what evidence is missing.