Which protocol is primarily responsible for providing domain name resolution?

The protocol that provides domain name resolution is Domain Name System (DNS). DNS is a fundamental component of the internet infrastructure, tasked with translating human-readable domain names, such as www.example.com, into numerical IP addresses that computers use to communicate with one another over the network. This translation process is crucial because while humans find it easier to remember and identify websites by their names, machines operate using IP addresses.

For example, when a user types a web address into a browser, DNS servers are queried to find the corresponding IP address. Once the DNS provides this address, the browser can then connect to the server hosting the requested website. This seamless interaction allows users to navigate the web easily without needing to memorize complex numeric addresses.

The other protocols mentioned serve different roles in the network. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is responsible for transferring hypertext (web pages) over the internet. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is used for sending emails, while FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is designed for transferring files between computers on a network. Each of these serves a specific function that does not relate to the resolution of domain names.