A reverse lookup begins with an IP address and asks DNS for the corresponding name. Therefore, `nslookup 10.10.10.30` is a reverse lookup test and depends on reverse-zone data such as a PTR record. The other commands begin with DNS names and are forward lookups. **Key takeaway:** The query input—IP address versus name—identifies reverse versus forward lookup.\n\n**Glossary:** **Reverse lookup**: An address-to-name query. **PTR**: A DNS record used for reverse mappings. **Forward lookup**: A name-based query for DNS data.