Why names beat raw addresses
An IP address is a location, not an identity. When the machine changes — a new host, a renumbered connection — every player who saved the old address is locked out until you tell them.
A domain name is a stable pointer. Change what it points at, and everyone’s saved server entry keeps working.
A records and what they point at
An A record maps a name to an IPv4 address, and AAAA does the same for IPv6. They are the simplest way to give a server a friendly address.
DNS changes are not instant everywhere: records carry a time-to-live, and resolvers cache them until it expires. A change you make now may take a few minutes to be visible to everyone.
How a client resolves an address
When a player types an address, Minecraft first checks for an SRV record at _minecraft._tcp, which can redirect it to a different host and port. If none exists, it resolves the name directly and uses the default port.
That lookup order is why a bare domain can work even when the server runs on a non-standard port — the SRV record carries the port so the player never types it.
Managed subdomains
Hosting platforms often hand out a subdomain such as yourname.pufferhost.com, with the DNS already configured and pointed at your server. It gives you a joinable address without owning a domain at all.
If you later want your own domain, you can point it at the server and keep the managed address as a fallback.
FAQ
Common questions
Why does my server address have letters instead of numbers?
Because it is a domain name that resolves to an IP address behind the scenes. Names are easier to remember and let the underlying machine change without breaking anyone’s saved entry.
How long do DNS changes take to apply?
Usually minutes, occasionally longer if a resolver has cached the old value. The record’s time-to-live setting determines the worst case, so lower it before a planned change.
