MX Records

An MX record routes email for your domain to a mail server. Each MX record has a priority (a preference number) and a mail server hostname. Mail delivery tries the lowest priority number first.

Fields

Field	Example	Notes
Name	`@`	Usually the apex, so mail addresses are `@your-domain`.
Type	`MX`
Priority	`10`	0 to 65535. ZCP prefers lower values. Required for `MX`.
Content	`mail.example.com.`	The mail server hostname. End it with a trailing dot.
TTL	`3600`	Seconds.

Create

Console: choose type MX, set Priority and the mail server value in their own fields.

@ MX 10 mail.example.com. 3600

CLI (MX requires --priority):

zcp dns record-create --domain examplecom --name @ --type MX \
  --content mail.example.com. --priority 10 --ttl 3600

API (send priority as a separate field):

curl -s -X POST "https://api.zcp.zsoftly.ca/api/dns/domains/examplecom/records" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your-token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  -d '{ "name": "@", "type": "MX", "content": "mail.example.com.", "priority": 10, "ttl": 3600 }'

Verify

dig MX example.com +short
# 10 mail.example.com.

Multiple Mail Servers

Add several MX records with different priorities for a primary and a backup:

zcp dns record-create --domain examplecom --name @ --type MX --content mail1.example.com. --priority 10
zcp dns record-create --domain examplecom --name @ --type MX --content mail2.example.com. --priority 20

Mail delivers to mail1 first, then falls back to mail2 if the primary is unreachable.

Notes

Priority is separate. Do not put the number in the value (10 mail.example.com.). The console, CLI, and API each take priority in its own field.
The mail server needs an address. The MX target must resolve to an A or AAAA record. It cannot point at a CNAME.
A 0 priority is valid and is sent correctly.

See also: TXT records for SPF and DKIM, Worked examples, Record types