What is TXT (Text) record ?

What is TXT (Text) record ?

A TXT (Text) record is a type of DNS (Domain Name System) record that is used to store arbitrary text data associated with a domain. TXT records can contain any human-readable text and are commonly used for various purposes, such as domain verification, email authentication, SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records, DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) configuration, and more.

Here are some key points about TXT records:

  1. Free-Form Text Data: TXT records can contain any text data, including letters, numbers, symbols, and spaces. They can be used to store information that does not fit into other specific record types.

  2. Domain Verification: TXT records are often used for domain verification by various services. For example, when integrating your domain with third-party services like email providers, website builders, or SSL certificate providers, you may be required to add a specific TXT record to verify your ownership or control of the domain.

  3. Email Authentication: TXT records play a crucial role in email authentication mechanisms. SPF records and DKIM records are commonly stored in TXT records to help validate the authenticity and legitimacy of email messages sent from a particular domain.

    • SPF: Sender Policy Framework records specify the authorized mail servers for a domain. These records help prevent email spoofing and protect against spam and phishing attempts.

    • DKIM: DomainKeys Identified Mail records are used to add a digital signature to outgoing email messages. This allows the recipient's mail server to verify the integrity of the message and ensure it hasn't been tampered with during transit.

  4. DNS-Based Service Discovery: TXT records can be used for DNS-based service discovery, where additional information about available services is stored in TXT records. This allows devices or applications to discover and interact with services using DNS queries.

  5. Human-Readable Information: Since TXT records are human-readable, they can be used to provide information about a domain or organization. For example, you can include contact information, copyright statements, or descriptive text about your services or organization within a TXT record.

  6. Multiple TXT Records: Multiple TXT records can be added for a domain, allowing for the storage of different types of text data. When retrieving TXT records, the DNS resolver typically returns all TXT records associated with the domain.

  7. Limitations on Record Length: TXT records have a maximum length of 255 characters per record. If the data exceeds this limit, it can be split into multiple records or stored using other mechanisms such as SPF macros.

To manage TXT records, you can use the DNS management interface provided by your domain registrar or DNS hosting provider. This allows you to add, edit, or remove TXT records as required by various services or authentication mechanisms.

Here's some additional information about TXT (Text) records:

  1. Custom Information Storage: TXT records provide a flexible way to store custom information about a domain. They can be used to store any type of text-based data, such as service information, configuration settings, or descriptive text.

  2. Subdomain-Specific TXT Records: TXT records can be created for subdomains as well. This allows you to associate specific text information with a particular subdomain. For example, you can create a TXT record for "subdomain.example.com" to store specific data related to that subdomain.

  3. Syntax and Format: TXT records consist of a domain or subdomain, the record type (TXT), and the text data enclosed within double quotation marks (""). The text data can be a single string or multiple strings separated by line breaks or semicolons.

  4. Multiple Uses of TXT Records: TXT records have a wide range of uses beyond domain verification and email authentication. They can be used for various purposes, including:

    • Publishing ownership or copyright information for a domain.
    • Storing security-related information, such as security policies or security contact details.
    • Providing additional information for various online services, such as DNS-based service discovery or configuration details.

  5. DNS-based Authentication of Named Entities (DANE): TXT records can be utilized as part of DANE, a security extension for DNS. DANE allows domain owners to associate digital certificates or public keys with their domains, enhancing the security of encrypted communications.

  6. Length and Size Limitations: TXT records have a maximum length limit of 255 characters per record. If the text data exceeds this limit, it needs to be split into multiple records or stored using mechanisms like SPF macros or DNS-based service discovery protocols.

  7. Time-to-Live (TTL): Like other DNS records, TXT records have a TTL value that determines how long the record can be cached by DNS resolvers and clients. It's essential to consider the TTL when making changes to TXT records, as it affects how quickly updates propagate across the DNS system.

  8. TXT Record Lookup: To retrieve TXT records for a domain, you can use various DNS lookup tools or commands, such as nslookup or dig. These tools allow you to query the DNS system and retrieve the TXT records associated with a specific domain.

Remember that the process of managing TXT records involves using the DNS management interface provided by your domain registrar or DNS hosting provider. This interface allows you to add, modify, or remove TXT records for your domain as needed to store the desired text information.