The Domain Name System (DNS) is one of the most important, yet lesser-known aspects of browsing the internet. In a nutshell, it’s responsible for converting a domain name (like google.com) to an IP address (like 142.250.217.78). Without DNS, your computer — and others along the way — would have no way of knowing where to send and retrieve data.
By default, your home network likely relies on a DNS server provided by your internet provider. However, these servers aren’t always the fastest and, in some cases, may even allow your ISP to maliciously track your online behavior. To that end, if internet speed and privacy matter a lot, you should perhaps consider changing your DNS server.