How to Use the DNS Zone File Generator

The DNS Zone File Generator builds complete, valid DNS zone files from templates. It eliminates the guesswork of assembling zone files manually and validates syntax before you export.

Accessing the Tool

Go to Tools → DNS Zone File Generator.

Choosing a Template

Select a template based on your use case:

Template	Use Case
Basic Website	A record for web server, MX for email, basic SPF
Google Workspace	Gmail MX records, SPF, optional DKIM and DMARC
Microsoft 365	Exchange Online MX, Autodiscover, SPF, DKIM, DMARC
Cloudflare Proxy	A records through Cloudflare, CAA records
Email Only	MX records, SPF, DMARC — no web server
Custom	Start from scratch

Filling In Your Details

Each template prompts you for the values specific to your setup:

• Domain name — your root domain (e.g., example.com)
• IP address — your web server IP for A records
• Mail server hostname — for MX records
• TTL values — how long resolvers should cache each record (default 3600 = 1 hour)

What Gets Generated

The generator produces a complete zone file including:

• SOA record — Start of Authority, zone serial number
• NS records — nameservers for the zone
• A records — IPv4 address mappings
• AAAA records — IPv6 (if applicable)
• MX records — mail exchanger with priority
• TXT records — SPF, DKIM public key, DMARC policy
• CNAME records — aliases (www, autodiscover, etc.)

Validating the Zone File

Before exporting, click Validate to check:

• Syntax errors (missing dots, incorrect formatting)
• FQDN format — all hostnames should end with a trailing dot in BIND format
• Missing records (e.g., no MX record in an email template)
• TTL consistency

Exporting

Three export options:

• Copy to clipboard — paste directly into your DNS control panel
• Download as .zone file — save for use with BIND or other name server software
• Direct import — if your DNS provider supports zone file upload

BIND Format Note

BIND zone files use a specific format. Fully qualified domain names end with a dot:

• example.com. (with trailing dot) — fully qualified
• example.com (without dot) — relative to the zone origin

The generator handles this automatically for all records.