Skip to main content
This lesson demonstrates Amazon Route 53, AWS’s managed Domain Name System (DNS) and domain registration service. You’ll learn how to register a domain, view the automatically created hosted zone, and create an A record that points to a public web server. What you can do with Route 53:
  • Register and transfer domain names (or use external registrars such as GoDaddy or Namecheap).
  • Create and manage DNS records (A, CNAME, MX, NS, SOA, and Route 53 alias records for AWS resources).
  • Configure routing policies and health checks for advanced traffic routing.
Step 1 — Open Route 53 and register a domain
  • In the AWS Management Console, search for and open Route 53.
  • Go to Domains → Register domains.
  • Search for the domain you want to register. In this demo we search for and select kodeklouddemo123.com.
A screenshot of the AWS Route 53 domain registration Pricing checkout page showing the domain kodeklouddemo123.com with a 1‑year price of 13.00. Auto-renew is enabled and the subtotal shows 13.00 with a Next button.
  • On the checkout page you can enable auto-renew to avoid accidentally letting the domain expire.
  • Provide contact information and enable privacy protection if desired, then submit the registration.
  • AWS will send registration status emails. Domain registration can take several minutes to complete.
When you register a domain with Route 53, AWS automatically creates a hosted zone for that domain. Domain registration carries an annual fee (for example, ~$13/year), and hosted zones may incur a small hourly/monthly charge. Review billing details before confirming your purchase.
Step 2 — Registration completed and domain details
  • After registration completes, the domain appears under Registered domains.
  • Click the domain name to view details such as registration/expiration dates, contact info, and the name servers assigned to the hosted zone.
A screenshot of the AWS Route 53 console showing the registered domain kodeklouddemo123.com. The Details panel shows registration/expiration dates, name servers and contact information sections.
Step 3 — View the hosted zone
  • Navigate to Hosted zones in Route 53. You should see a hosted zone for kodeklouddemo123.com.
  • Click the hosted zone to view the automatically created NS and SOA records and to add new DNS records (A, CNAME, etc.).
A screenshot of the AWS Route 53 console showing the hosted zone details for the domain kodeklouddemo123.com, including the hosted zone ID, name servers, and record count. The Records panel below lists NS and SOA records and shows controls like "Create record" and "Import zone file."
Step 4 — Prepare a web server to receive traffic (example)
  • In this demo, a running EC2 instance serves web traffic and has a public IPv4 address. You can point DNS to any public IP or compatible AWS resource (ELB, CloudFront, etc.).
  • Example: the selected EC2 instance used as the web server.
A screenshot of the AWS EC2 Instances dashboard showing three instances (server-1, server-2, web-server) with the web-server selected. The details pane shows the instance is running (t2.micro) with status checks passed and network/IP information.
Step 5 — Create an A record that points the domain to the server IP
  • In the hosted zone, click Create record.
  • To point a domain to an IPv4 address, create an A record.
    • To point the root domain (kodeklouddemo123.com) to the IP, leave the record name blank (root) or use the console’s root option.
    • To point www.kodeklouddemo123.com, enter www as the record name.
  • Enter the web server’s public IPv4 address as the record value and keep TTL at the default (e.g., 300 seconds) unless you have a different caching requirement.
  • After creating the record you’ll see a success banner. Route 53 updates its authoritative name servers quickly (often under a minute), but public DNS resolvers and caches may hold older data until TTLs expire.
A screenshot of the AWS Route 53 "Create record" page showing a Quick create record form for the domain kodeklouddemo123.com with an A record pointing to IP 34.202.157.41, TTL 300 and simple routing.
  • After creation you’ll be notified that the record was added successfully.
A screenshot of the AWS Route 53 console showing the hosted zone for "kodeklouddemo123.com" with DNS records listed (A, NS, SOA) and their values. A blue banner at the top indicates a record was successfully created.
DNS changes propagate across the internet at different speeds. Local DNS caches, ISP resolvers, and public DNS services respect TTL values, so clients might not see updates until cached records expire. If you need immediate failover or zero-downtime changes, combine low TTLs with health checks or Route 53 routing policies.
Step 6 — Verify DNS propagation and access the site
  • Confirm the record is listed in the hosted zone view.
  • Verify global DNS resolution with tools such as dig, nslookup, or online DNS checkers from different networks.
From your terminal you can run:
  • Once DNS has propagated, browse to https://kodeklouddemo123.com or http://kodeklouddemo123.com depending on whether the web server has TLS configured.
Quick reference — common DNS record types and when to use them Summary — key points to remember
  • Route 53 handles domain registration and DNS management; you can register domains in Route 53 or manage DNS for externally registered domains.
  • Registering a domain in Route 53 automatically creates a hosted zone that stores your DNS records.
  • Use A records for IPv4 addresses and CNAME for aliasing names (not for root domains). Use Route 53 alias records when pointing to AWS resources (ELB, CloudFront, S3 static sites).
  • Learn Route 53 basics for the AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam: domains, hosted zones, record types, routing policies, and health checks.
Links and references

Watch Video