EndpointDNS

EndpointDNS is a developer-focused DNS hosting service built on a modern, distributed architecture. It uses an API-centric model where a central controller communicates with multiple remote name servers to manage and serve DNS records, ensuring high availability and efficient synchronization.

💡 Since my domain is hosted at Namecheap, I needed to configure glue records for the custom name servers so they could be properly resolved.

System Architecture

The platform is divided into two main parts:

• PHP web application
  Serves as the user-facing panel and initial API gateway.

• Go DNS controller
  A high-performance core service that manages DNS records, synchronization, and communication with remote name servers.

The actual DNS queries are handled by multiple, geographically distributed name servers, also written in Go.

The Controller: Central Authority

The controller is the brain of the EndpointDNS system. It is the single source of truth, responsible for managing the state of the entire network.

• API Gateway
  Exposes a RESTful API (e.g., /v1/...). All requests, whether from the PHP panel or user scripts, pass through this gateway.

• Business Logic
  Validates API keys, checks subscription plan limits (domains, API calls), and logs usage.

• Database Interaction
  Directly manages the MySQL database, which stores accounts, domains, DNS records, and plan information.

• Synchronization Hub
  Keeps all remote name servers updated and consistent.

Remote Name Servers: Edge Responders

The name servers are lightweight Go applications designed to answer DNS queries with maximum speed.

• In-Memory Zones
  All zones and records are loaded into memory for instant lookups.

• Management API
  Each server exposes a private HTTP API (on port 8053) for updates and health checks, secured with unique keys.

• State Persistence
  Zone data is cached to disk, allowing immediate recovery after a restart.

Communication & Synchronization

The system is entirely API-driven:

1. User Request
   A user creates a DNS record via the PHP panel → forwarded to the Go controller.

2. Controller Validation
   The request is authenticated and checked against plan limits.

3. Database Update
   The record is saved to the central MySQL database.

4. Fan-Out Sync
   The controller sends updates concurrently to all active name servers.

5. Name Server Update
   Each server updates its in-memory zone and persists it to disk.

Full Sync for Consistency

When bringing a new server online or performing maintenance:

• The controller queries all records from the master database.
• It rebuilds the target name server’s zones by re-sending the complete dataset.

This ensures that the central database remains the ultimate source of truth, while distributed name servers provide fast, resilient, and globally consistent DNS resolution.