DNS Lookup & WHOIS Checker
One lookup, three answers: every DNS record for the domain, the WHOIS registration data behind it, and DNS propagation compared across Cloudflare and Google resolvers.
Your browser queries these services directly, so the domain you look up and your IP address are visible to them: Cloudflare DNS and Google Public DNS for records and propagation, and rdap.org for registration data. DevDome does not proxy, see or store these lookups. Privacy policy.
DNS record types: what each one does
A DNS records checker is only useful if you know what you are looking at. These are the eight record types this tool queries and what each of them controls.
| Record | What it does | Example value |
|---|---|---|
| A | Maps a hostname to an IPv4 address. The record browsers resolve to load your site. | 93.184.216.34 |
| AAAA | Maps a hostname to an IPv6 address. The IPv6 twin of the A record. | 2606:2800:220:1::1 |
| CNAME | Aliases one name to another name. Common for www and app subdomains. | www → example.com |
| MX | Routes email for the domain to mail servers. Lower priority is tried first. | 10 aspmx.l.google.com |
| TXT | Free-form text: SPF, DKIM, DMARC policies and site-verification strings. | v=spf1 include:... |
| NS | Delegates the zone: names the authoritative nameservers for the domain. | ns1.cloudflare.com |
| CAA | Restricts which certificate authorities may issue TLS certificates. | 0 issue "letsencrypt.org" |
| SOA | Zone metadata: primary nameserver, admin contact, serial and refresh timers. | serial 2026070601 |
The DNS tab queries Cloudflare's DNS-over-HTTPS resolver for all eight types in parallel. The WHOIS tab uses RDAP, the structured registry protocol that replaced the old WHOIS text format for generic TLDs. The Propagation tab asks Cloudflare and Google the same question and flags any disagreement, which is the fastest way to see whether a DNS change has spread.
Expired domains and broken DNS kill sites silently
Most domain outages are not attacks, they are paperwork. A card on file expires, renewal emails go to a mailbox nobody reads, and the domain lapses: the site vanishes, email bounces, and by the time anyone notices, the domain may already be in redemption. The expiry date in the WHOIS tab is the single most important date your business is standing on.
DNS misconfiguration fails just as quietly. A deleted CNAME, an A record still pointing at a decommissioned server, an MX typo after a mail migration: visitors and messages disappear with no error on your side. DevDome Site Health watches this continuously, probing your site every 15 minutes and auditing domain health daily, so a lapsed domain or a dead record becomes an alert instead of a support ticket.
DNS and WHOIS lookup FAQ
What is a DNS lookup?
A DNS lookup queries the domain name system for the records published under a domain: A and AAAA records point to server IPs, MX records route email, TXT records carry SPF and verification strings, and NS records name the authoritative nameservers. This DNS checker queries all common record types in one pass over DNS-over-HTTPS, so results come straight from a live resolver, not a stale cache.
What does a WHOIS domain lookup show?
A WHOIS domain lookup returns the registration data behind a domain: the registrar it is registered through, the creation and expiry dates, the last-updated date, EPP status codes such as clientTransferProhibited, the delegated nameservers and whether DNSSEC is enabled. This tool fetches that data over RDAP, the structured successor to the old WHOIS text protocol.
How do I check MX records for a domain?
Enter the domain and open the DNS Records tab: the MX section lists every mail server with its priority. The lowest priority number is tried first, higher numbers are backups. An MX lookup is the first check when email bounces: if the MX records point at the wrong provider or disappeared after a migration, mail silently stops arriving.
How long does DNS propagation take?
DNS changes spread as resolver caches expire, which is governed by the TTL on each record. Most changes are visible within minutes to a few hours, but a record cached with a long TTL can take up to 48 hours to update everywhere. The Propagation tab compares Cloudflare and Google resolvers side by side: when both agree on your new values, propagation is effectively complete.
What does clientTransferProhibited mean in WHOIS?
clientTransferProhibited is a registrar lock: the domain cannot be transferred to another registrar until the lock is removed. It is a normal protection against domain hijacking, not a problem. Codes starting with server, like serverTransferProhibited, are set at the registry level and are stronger. Codes like pendingDelete or redemptionPeriod mean the domain expired and is on its way out.
What is the difference between WHOIS and RDAP?
RDAP is the modern replacement for WHOIS: same registration data, but served as structured JSON over HTTPS with consistent fields. ICANN requires RDAP for generic TLDs like .com, .net and .org, so those lookups work reliably. Some country-code registries have not adopted RDAP yet, which is why a WHOIS lookup for certain ccTLDs returns no data in this tool.
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