---
id: "zone-file"
kind: "glossary-term"
title: "zone file"
language: "en"
category: "DNS and technical foundations"
updated: "2026-10-04T14:01:23Z"
canonical: "https://tldlog.com/glossary/zone-file/"
translations:
  es: "https://tldlog.com/es/glosario/archivo-zona/"
  de: "https://tldlog.com/de/glossar/zonendatei/"
  fr: "https://tldlog.com/fr/glossaire/fichier-zone/"
  it: "https://tldlog.com/it/glossario/file-zona/"
  pt-BR: "https://tldlog.com/pt/glossario/arquivo-zona/"
  ru: "https://tldlog.com/ru/glossariy/fayl-zony/"
  zh-Hans: "https://tldlog.com/zh/cihui/quyu-wenjian/"
---

# zone file

A file or database that holds all the DNS records for a zone, such as a domain or a whole TLD. A registry's TLD zone file lists the name servers of every active domain in that TLD. Researchers often study zone files to count domains.

## related terms

- [authoritative server](https://tldlog.com/glossary/authoritative-server/)
- [NS record](https://tldlog.com/glossary/ns-record/)
- [root zone](https://tldlog.com/glossary/root-zone/)