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doc: improve dns introduction
The introductory paragraphs for the `dns` module do not explain what the
module is for. Add a short (two brief sentences) explanation.

It also emphasizes that functions in the dns module are
divided into two categories, but that there is only one function in one
of the categories, making the whole categories thing a bit odd to
emphasize. Keep the material about the distinctions without discussing
categories.

There are other incidental revisions (changing an example IP to
`example.org` and so on).

PR-URL: #31090
Reviewed-By: Colin Ihrig <cjihrig@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: James M Snell <jasnell@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: Luigi Pinca <luigipinca@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: Trivikram Kamat <trivikr.dev@gmail.com>
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Trott authored and BethGriggs committed Feb 6, 2020
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Showing 1 changed file with 39 additions and 47 deletions.
86 changes: 39 additions & 47 deletions doc/api/dns.md
Expand Up @@ -4,59 +4,51 @@

> Stability: 2 - Stable
The `dns` module contains functions belonging to two different categories:
The `dns` module enables name resolution. For example, use it to look up IP
addresses of host names.

1. Functions that use the underlying operating system facilities to perform
name resolution, and that do not necessarily perform any network
communication.
This category contains only one function: [`dns.lookup()`][]. **Developers
looking to perform name resolution in the same way that other applications
on the same operating system behave should use [`dns.lookup()`][].**
Although named for the Domain Name System (DNS), it does not always use the DNS
protocol for lookups. [`dns.lookup()`][] uses the operating system facilities to
perform name resolution. It may not need to perform any network communication.
Developers looking to perform name resolution in the same way that other
applications on the same operating system behave should use [`dns.lookup()`][].

For example, looking up `iana.org`.
```js
const dns = require('dns');

```js
const dns = require('dns');
dns.lookup('example.org', (err, address, family) => {
console.log('address: %j family: IPv%s', address, family);
});
// address: "93.184.216.34" family: IPv4
```

dns.lookup('iana.org', (err, address, family) => {
console.log('address: %j family: IPv%s', address, family);
});
// address: "192.0.43.8" family: IPv4
```

2. Functions that connect to an actual DNS server to perform name resolution,
and that _always_ use the network to perform DNS queries. This category
contains all functions in the `dns` module _except_ [`dns.lookup()`][].
These functions do not use the same set of configuration files used by
[`dns.lookup()`][] (e.g. `/etc/hosts`). These functions should be used by
developers who do not want to use the underlying operating system's
facilities for name resolution, and instead want to _always_ perform DNS
queries.

Below is an example that resolves `'archive.org'` then reverse resolves the
IP addresses that are returned.

```js
const dns = require('dns');

dns.resolve4('archive.org', (err, addresses) => {
if (err) throw err;

console.log(`addresses: ${JSON.stringify(addresses)}`);

addresses.forEach((a) => {
dns.reverse(a, (err, hostnames) => {
if (err) {
throw err;
}
console.log(`reverse for ${a}: ${JSON.stringify(hostnames)}`);
});
});
All other functions in the `dns` module connect to an actual DNS server to
perform name resolution. They will always use the network to perform DNS
queries. These functions do not use the same set of configuration files used by
[`dns.lookup()`][] (e.g. `/etc/hosts`). These functions should be used by
developers who do not want to use the underlying operating system's
facilities for name resolution, and instead want to always perform DNS queries.

```js
const dns = require('dns');

dns.resolve4('archive.org', (err, addresses) => {
if (err) throw err;

console.log(`addresses: ${JSON.stringify(addresses)}`);

addresses.forEach((a) => {
dns.reverse(a, (err, hostnames) => {
if (err) {
throw err;
}
console.log(`reverse for ${a}: ${JSON.stringify(hostnames)}`);
});
```
});
});
```

There are subtle consequences in choosing one over the other, please consult
the [Implementation considerations section][] for more information.
See the [Implementation considerations section][] for more information.

## Class: `dns.Resolver`
<!-- YAML
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