A name server is a computer that answers DNS queries — it holds or looks up the records that say where a domain points. Authoritative name servers store the official records for a domain; recursive name servers (resolvers) chase down answers on a user’s behalf. Whichever name servers your domain is set to use are the source of truth for its website and email.
If DNS is the address book, name servers are the librarians who actually hold and read out the entries. They are where the abstract idea of “DNS” becomes real machines doing real work — and they are the setting you most often touch when you connect a domain to a host.
What is a name server?
A name server (sometimes written “nameserver”) is a server whose job is to respond to DNS queries. Every domain is associated with a set of name servers; ask one of them about the domain and it returns the relevant records — the IP address of the website, where email should go, and so on. Name servers exist at every level of the DNS hierarchy, from the root down to your individual domain.
A server that stores and answers DNS queries. Authoritative name servers hold a domain’s official records; recursive name servers look up answers for users and cache them.
Authoritative vs recursive name servers
There are two broad kinds, and the difference matters:
| Type | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Authoritative | Holds the official DNS records for a domain and gives the definitive answer. | Your host’s or DNS provider’s name servers for example.com |
| Recursive (resolver) | Owns no records; queries other servers in turn to find an answer for a user, then caches it. | Your ISP’s resolver, or a public one like 8.8.8.8 / 1.1.1.1 |
When you load a site, your device asks a recursive resolver, which walks the hierarchy — root, then TLD, then the domain’s authoritative name servers — to get the final answer. See how resolution works for the full journey.
Name servers and your domain
Every domain has NS records that name its authoritative name servers. These are set at the registry level and tell the world, “to learn anything about this domain, ask these servers.” When you sign up with a web host or DNS provider, they give you two or more name servers (often something like ns1.provider.com and ns2.provider.com) to point your domain at.
Why always more than one?
Domains list multiple name servers for redundancy. If one server is down for maintenance or fails, the others keep answering, so your domain stays reachable. Two is the common minimum; busy domains use more.
Changing your name servers
Pointing a domain at a new host usually means changing its name servers. You do this in your registrar dashboard: open the domain, find the name server (or DNS) settings, and replace the existing entries with the ones your new provider gave you. The update then has to propagate across the internet’s caches.
Expect propagation delay
Name server changes are not instant. Resolvers cache previous answers, so a change can take anywhere from a few minutes to a day or two to be seen everywhere. Plan migrations with this lag in mind.
Name server vs DNS: the difference
It is easy to conflate the two, but they sit at different scales. DNS is the entire system — the protocol, the hierarchy, the global directory. A name server is a single participating machine within that system. DNS is the network; name servers are the nodes that store and answer.
Why name servers matter to you
Name servers are the lever that controls your domain. Set them to your host’s servers and your website appears; change a record on them and your email reroutes. If a site “isn’t loading” after setup, the wrong name servers (or unpropagated changes) are a frequent culprit. Knowing what name servers are turns a confusing settings screen into a simple, predictable control.
★ Key takeaways
- A name server is a machine that stores or looks up DNS records and answers queries.
- Authoritative servers hold a domain’s official records; recursive resolvers look answers up for users.
- Your domain’s NS records point to its authoritative name servers — usually two or more for redundancy.
- You change name servers at your registrar; changes take time to propagate.
Frequently asked questions
What is a name server in simple terms?
A name server is a computer that answers the question “where does this domain point?” It stores or looks up DNS records and returns the answer. The name servers your domain is set to use are the authoritative source for its website and email settings.
What is the difference between authoritative and recursive name servers?
An authoritative name server holds the official records for a domain and gives the definitive answer. A recursive name server (a resolver) does not own records — it queries other servers step by step to find the answer for a user, then caches it.
How do I change my domain's name servers?
You change them in your registrar account, in the domain’s settings, by entering the name servers given to you by your host or DNS provider. The change updates the NS records and can take time to propagate — often a few hours, occasionally up to a day or two.
Is a name server the same as DNS?
Not quite. DNS is the whole system of names and lookups; a name server is one of the machines that participate in it. Name servers are the components that actually store and answer DNS queries.
Why do domains list two or more name servers?
For redundancy. A domain usually points to at least two name servers so that if one is unreachable, others can still answer queries. This keeps the domain resolvable even during outages or maintenance.