Data & Downloads

Reference Data

Structured root server data compiled from authoritative sources. JSON, CSV, and YAML formats for reference builds and integrations.

3Core datasetsServers, sites, operators

3Output formatsJSON · CSV · YAML

IANA + RSOSource provenanceCompiled from authoritative data

18 Sep 2026Snapshot dateStatic build-time data

JSON

.json

Primary structured format. Typed objects with nested arrays for addresses, sites, and operator metadata. Ideal for web applications and API consumers.

CSV

.csv

Flat tabular format for spreadsheet analysis, database imports, and quick data exploration. One row per record with standard delimiters.

YAML

.yaml

Human-readable configuration format. Same structure as JSON but easier to read inline. Useful for documentation builds and config-driven tooling.

Available Datasets

Static snapshot data

Dataset	File	Description	Records	Fields
Root Server List	servers.json	All 13 root server identities (A through M) with IPv4 and IPv6 service addresses, ASNs, operator names, and hostnames.	13 records	letter, hostname, ipv4, ipv6, operator, asn, description
Site Locations	sites.json	Published operational sites and anycast instances per root identity. Includes city, country, region, coordinates, site type (global/local), and instance counts.	2,045 sites	root, city, country, region, lat, lon, type, instances, operator
Operators	operators.json	Directory of the 12 organizations that operate root server identities, including root-letter assignments, website, and operational notes.	12 records	name, roots, website, description, protocol_support
Root Hints	root-hints.json	The named.root / root hints file data in structured form. Maps each root identity to its NS record and glue addresses.	13 records	name, ttl, type, target, ipv4_glue, ipv6_glue

IANA Root Servers

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority maintains the authoritative list of root server identities, their operators, and the IPv4/IPv6 service addresses. This is the canonical source for root hints data.

iana.org/domains/root/servers named.root (root hints)

root-servers.org

The Root Server Operators' website publishes operational data including site locations, instance counts, site types (global/local), and operator contact information for each root identity.

root-servers.org

RSSAC

The Root Server System Advisory Committee (RSSAC) publishes advisories, reports, and metrics on root server system health, measurement methodologies, and operational recommendations.

ICANN RSSAC RSSAC Publications

RFC References

Key IETF standards define root server behavior, including RFC 7720 (DNS Root Name Service Protocol and Deployment Requirements) and RFC 8806 (Running a Root Server Local to a Resolver).

Standards & RFCs IETF Datatracker

How to Use This Data

Static Snapshot

All data on this site is a static snapshot compiled at build time. It is not a live API. Use it as reference data for documentation builds, dashboards, educational projects, and offline tooling. The snapshot date is noted in each dataset.

Freshness

Root server data changes infrequently — new sites are added, operators occasionally update addresses, and instance counts shift. For production use cases requiring real-time accuracy, query the authoritative sources directly.

Fetch Example

// Load the root server list const res = await fetch('/data/servers.json'); const servers = await res.json(); // Find a root server by letter const aRoot = servers.find(s => s.letter === 'A'); console.log(aRoot.hostname); // → "a.root-servers.net"

Data Structure

// servers.json — each entry { "letter": "A", "hostname": "a.root-servers.net", "ipv4": "198.41.0.4", "ipv6": "2001:503:ba3e::2:30", "operator": "Verisign", "asn": 26415, "description": "Verisign A-Root" }

Explore DNS Standards & RFCs

Learn about the IETF standards, BCPs, and RFCs that define root server operations, resolver behavior, and DNS security.

View Standards