TXT record
also: Text record
A DNS record that holds arbitrary text information about a domain, commonly used for email authentication, domain verification, and service discovery.
A TXT record is a type of DNS (Domain Name System) resource record that stores text data associated with a domain name. Unlike A records (IP addresses) or MX records (mail servers), TXT records can contain any UTF-8 text string and are used for various administrative and security purposes.
Common uses include email authentication protocols like SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance). For example, an SPF record might look like: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
TXT records are also used for domain verification (confirming ownership to third-party services), service discovery protocols, and general site documentation. You can view a domain's TXT records using tools like dig, nslookup, or host with the TXT query type.