Domain Name Registration > Domain Name Servers

What is a zone file?

A zone is another name for a domain name or a sub-domain in a DNS server. Every domain and sub-domain has a zone. These zone files contain records, in plain text, which hold the DNS information that links a domain or sub-domain name to an IP address. Each zone file usually contains several different records.

The difference between zones and domains is hierarchy. A domain can have a sub-domain contained within its hierarchal structure. While that sub-domain also has a zone, it’s not considered a sub-zone. There is no such thing as a sub-zone. All zones are a separate entity. While zones can be linked, they do not have a hierarchal structure.