What is the purpose of DNS in networking?

The purpose of DNS, or Domain Name System, in networking is to translate human-friendly domain names, such as www.example.com, into machine-friendly IP addresses, such as 192.0.2.1. This translation is critical because while humans find it easier to remember names, computers and networking equipment communicate using numerical IP addresses. By resolving domain names to IP addresses, DNS allows users to access websites and other online resources without needing to memorize complex numerical addresses.

In addition to translating domain names to IP addresses, DNS also plays a vital role in ensuring that users can reach the correct web servers, enhancing the user experience on the internet. It enables the use of easy-to-remember names for various services, thereby simplifying network navigation and overall internet usage.