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A CNAME (Canonical Name) record aliases one hostname to another, rather than pointing directly to an IP address. It's how many subdomains (like www or a CDN endpoint) are hooked up to point at another hostname that handles the actual resolution.
How it works
Enter a plain hostname and the tool queries DNS directly for its CNAME record, reporting the canonical hostname it points to, if any.
- Enter hostname.
- Click Calculate to see your results.
Examples
A subdomain aliased to a hosting platform
www.example.com might have a CNAME pointing to example.github.io or a CDN's hostname — the browser then resolves that target hostname's own A/AAAA records to get an actual IP.
Who should use it
- Verifying a custom subdomain is correctly pointed at a hosting or CDN provider.
- Diagnosing subdomain DNS configuration issues.
Industry applications
- Web development and hosting/DevOps
- IT support and network administration
Advantages
- Instant CNAME lookup with no software installation.
- Useful for verifying CDN, SaaS, and subdomain alias configurations.
Limitations
- Only reports the CNAME record itself — doesn't follow the chain to a final IP (use DNS Lookup for that).
Common mistakes to avoid
- Expecting the root/apex domain to show a CNAME — it structurally can't under the DNS spec.
- Confusing a CNAME target with an IP address — the result is always another hostname, not an address.
Best practices
- Use this alongside the DNS Lookup tool to see both the alias (CNAME) and where it ultimately resolves (A/AAAA).
- When migrating a subdomain to a new provider, verify the CNAME target actually matches what the new provider instructed.
Tips
- Pair this with DNS Lookup, MX Record Lookup, and TXT Record Lookup for a complete picture of a domain's DNS setup.