| Aspect |
Domain Registrar |
DNS Service |
| Main Purpose |
Sells and manages domain names |
Resolves domain names to IP addresses (DNS resolution) |
| Example Services |
GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, AWS Route 53 |
AWS Route 53, Cloudflare DNS, Google Cloud DNS |
| Function |
Lets you own/control a domain (like example.com) |
Tells the internet how to route traffic to your servers |
| Involves |
Domain purchase, renewal, transfer |
DNS records: A, CNAME, MX, TXT, etc. |
| Zone File Management |
Usually provides access, but not always advanced |
Fully manages zone files and record resolution |
| Can Be Separate? |
Yes ā domain from one, DNS from another |
Yes ā domain from GoDaddy, DNS via AWS Route 53 |
| Required for Website? |
Yes ā to have a public domain name |
Yes ā to make it accessible via that domain |
š§ Real-Life Analogy
-
Domain Registrar = You buy a nameplate for your house (e.g., "Certifikation.com")
-
DNS Service = You put that nameplate in a directory/map so people can find your house
You can buy the nameplate (domain) from one vendor and host the address (DNS) somewhere else.
š§ Example Scenario: CertifiKation.com on AWS
-
Register domain: via AWS Route 53 or GoDaddy
-
Set DNS nameservers: point to Route 53 (if DNS is hosted on AWS)
-
Configure DNS records: use Route 53 to create A, CNAME, MX records
-
Your website is live: e.g.,
certifikation.com ā AWS EC2 or S3
ā
Summary
| Component |
Needed For |
Typical Use |
| Domain Registrar |
Owning and renewing domains |
Buying mybrand.com
|
| DNS Service |
Making that domain point somewhere |
Routing to your web server |
