Interview Questions/Phone Screen/How DNS Resolution Works
IntermediatePhone
2 min

How DNS Resolution Works

DNSNetworkingWeb
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Interview Question

Walk me through the steps when you type a URL into your browser and press enter.

Key Points to Cover
  • Browser cache lookup first
  • OS resolver cache check
  • Recursive DNS query to resolver
  • Authoritative nameserver lookup
  • Response cached and IP returned
Evaluation Rubric
Mentions local caches first25% weight
Explains DNS recursive resolver25% weight
Mentions authoritative nameservers25% weight
Describes IP returned to browser25% weight
Hints
  • 💡Start with browser cache, end with IP resolved.
Potential Follow-up Questions
  • What’s the role of TTL?
  • How does DNSSEC fit in?
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