VectorDNS Architecture

Overview

VectorDNS uses a hybrid architecture: a Next.js frontend on Vercel and a Go DNS microservice on a VPS.

┌──────────────────────┐        ┌──────────────────────┐
│   Vercel (Frontend)  │        │    VPS (DNS API)      │
│                      │        │                       │
│  Next.js 16          │  HTTP  │  Go microservice      │
│  React 19            │◄──────►│  miekg/dns            │
│  Supabase SDK        │        │                       │
│  Tailwind + shadcn   │        │  - DNS resolution     │
│                      │        │  - DNSSEC validation   │
│  Handles:            │        │  - Propagation checks  │
│  - UI/SSR            │        │  - Monitoring cron     │
│  - Auth (Supabase)   │        │  - Change detection    │
│  - WHOIS lookups     │        │                       │
│  - Static pages      │        └───────────┬───────────┘
│                      │                    │
└──────────┬───────────┘                    │ UDP/TCP
           │                                ▼
           │                    ┌───────────────────────┐
           │                    │   DNS Resolvers /      │
           ▼                    │   Authoritative NS     │
┌──────────────────────┐        └───────────────────────┘
│   Supabase           │
│                      │
│  - Postgres DB       │
│  - Auth              │
│  - Row Level Security│
└──────────────────────┘

Why Hybrid

Concern	Solution
Frontend hosting, SSR, auth	Vercel (serverless, zero-ops)
DNS resolution, monitoring	Go on VPS (persistent process, no cold starts)
Database, auth state	Supabase (managed Postgres)

What Each Service Handles

Next.js (Vercel)

All UI rendering (SSR + client)
Authentication via Supabase
WHOIS lookups (whoiser library)
Domain availability checks (IANA RDAP)
Dashboard, notifications, settings pages
Proxies DNS queries to the Go service

Go Microservice (VPS)

DNS record lookups via miekg/dns (UDP/TCP, not DoH)
Query specific or authoritative nameservers directly
DNSSEC validation
DNS propagation checking across multiple resolvers
Scheduled monitoring (native cron, no serverless time limits)
Change detection (diff DNS snapshots, notify on changes)

Communication

The Next.js API routes call the Go service over HTTPS. The Go service URL is configured via environment variable (GO_DNS_API_URL). Requests are authenticated with a shared API key (GO_DNS_API_KEY).

Next.js API route → HTTPS → Go DNS API → UDP/TCP → DNS resolvers

Why Go Over DoH (Tangerine)

Direct UDP/TCP DNS queries — faster, no middleman
Can query authoritative nameservers directly
Supports DNSSEC validation, AXFR, propagation checks
No cold starts, consistent latency
No Vercel function timeout limits for monitoring jobs

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