What records (DNS, Nameservers etc.) need to be used to map a Domain to a Hosting Server

Question

I have a purchased domain that I am trying to create a site on. I have uploaded the files to the public_html folder of the hosting provider's server.

I am confused about what all records I need to electronically complete?

A couple of Name Servers (not DNS) were provided by the hosting provider (in their FAQs). I filled in these details in the respective records of the Domain Provider using it's cpanel. But nothing is coming up.

Do I also need to add CNAME or AAA records etc? Please suggest.

Thanks!

P.S.: I have not found the answer in the existing questions.

Answer 1

To point your domain name at your web site, you need to the following.

1. Domain registration from a domain registrar. The most popular domain registrar is GoDaddy.
2. A DNS hosting company. DNS hosting may or may not be offered by your website host. I tend to use standalone DNS hosting from Amazon Route 53 or Zonomi
3. Your registrar configured to point your domain name to the name servers of your DNS host. Your DNS host will tell you their name servers. You will then have log into your registrar and set these values. Here is what that looks like for me in GoDaddy's administration for my domain name.
4. Your DNS host will have to point the domain name to your server. Your web hosting company will tell you the IP address of their server. You would generally configure the DNS with an A record:
5. Finally, your webserver needs VirtualHost configuration so that it knows which files to serve when this host name is requested from it. Most web hosts let you set this up through cPanel or similar website configuration software.

Answer 2

There are a few settings there are minimal:

In the nameserver you have to add a A record, this is the line that points an domainname to a server:

example.com. IN A 123.456.7.89

A CNAME is an alias, it isn't an actual other page. You can use this to point the another value to the same location:

www IN CNAME example.com.
alias-of-example.com. IN CNAME example.com.

Why a CNAME when www IN A 123.456.7.89 works? Because it's a lot easier to maintain, in case of server change all you have to do is change 1 IPaddress.

Settings for a hosting, or in your hosting settings

When registring a domain, at some points this has to get globally known, thats what nameservers are for. It starts with a root Authority (highest of the chain), all the way to small companies.

You (if you even have to) have to configure nameservers (which in turn have the dns settings like above). One of the bigger nameservers points to the servers of [hosting_company], you (or they) have to do the final step and point it to the domain:

example.com. IN NS ns1.some-nameserver.com.
example.com. IN NS ns2.some-nameserver.com.

Always a minimum of two. Of the first one is down or too slow, it will try the next. Highend websites often have 4 nameservers.

Why no dot after the www, but one after the domain?

Great question. The dot means 'end of the string'. If no dot, the domain will be added:
asuming example.com as base

www. means www
www  means www.example.com
something.com. means something.com
something.com means something.com.example.com

Should I do all this?

Big chance you don't have to. Most hosting companies do this for you or it's an automated process (at least with some default settings). These settings often are for the more advanced users who need to add other information (like mx records for mail).