A hierarchical and decentralized naming system used to translate human-readable domain names (such as www.exampledomain.com) into IP addresses (such as 123.4.5.6) that computers use to identify and communicate with each other over the internet. DNS acts as a directory service, enabling users to access websites and services using easily memorable names instead of numerical IP addresses. When a user enters a domain name into their web browser, DNS servers perform a series of lookups to resolve the domain name to its corresponding IP address. This process involves querying various DNS servers, including recursive resolvers, authoritative name servers, and root servers, to obtain the correct IP address and direct the user to the appropriate website or service. DNS is crucial for the functioning of the internet, ensuring that users can efficiently access and navigate online resources.