Last Updated on May 16, 2026
awl is a command-line DNS lookup tool that supports DNS queries over UDP, TCP, TLS, HTTPS, DNSCrypt, and QUIC.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- DNS RFCS:
- RFC1034 (TCP) Yes,
--tcpor +tcp - RFC7858 (TLS) Yes,
--tlsor +tls - RFC8484 (HTTPS) Yes,
--httpsor +https - RFC7858 (QUIC) Yes,
--quicor +quic - nil (DNSCrypt) Yes,
--dnscryptor +dnscrypt
- RFC1034 (TCP) Yes,
- Output Types:
- Dig-style Yes
- Colours NO
- JSON Yes, -j or +json
- XML Yes, -X or +xml
- YAML (QUIC) Yes, -y or +yaml
- Output options:
- Header No 🙁
- Question Yes,
--no-questionor +noquestion - Answer Yes,
--no-answeror +noanswer - Authority Yes,
--no-authorityor +noauthority - Additional Yes,
--no-additionalor +noadditional - Statistics Yes,
--no-statisticsor +nostats
- Query Flags:
- AA Yes
- AD Yes
- CD Yes
- RD Yes
- RA Yes
- QR Yes
- Z Yes
- TC Yes
- DO Yes
Website: git.froth.zone/sam/awl
Support:
Developer: Sam Therapy, Gregward Bulon
License: 3-clause BSD License
awl is written in Go. Learn Go with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Alternatives to dig | |
|---|---|
| dog | DNS client with colorful output, DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS support |
| doggo | Command-line DNS client for humans |
| drill | Perform DNS lookups and display answers returned from the name server(s) |
| dnslookup | Supports plain DNS, DoH, DoT, DoQ, and DNSCrypt |
| dug | Global DNS propagation checker |
| q | Support for UDP, TCP, DoT, DoH, DoQ and ODoH |
| DNS Clients | |
|---|---|
| dog | Colourful output, understands normal command-line argument syntax |
| doggo | Command-line DNS client for humans |
| q | Tiny command line DNS client supporting UDP, TCP, DoT, DoH, DoQ and ODoH |
| ddclient | Update dynamic DNS entries |
| GoDNS | Dynamic DNS (DDNS) client tool |
| dig | DNS lookup utility |
| awl | DNS lookup tool |
| ZDNS | High-speed DNS resolver and command line utility |
| dnslookup | Make DNS lookups |
| dug | Global DNS propagation checker |
| drill | Perform DNS lookups |
| dness | Dynamic DNS client |
| In-a-Dyn | Small and simple Dynamic DNS, DDNS, client |
| dnsupdate | Modern and flexible dynamic DNS client |
| wig | Simple and lightweight DNS client |
| dyndnsc | Dynamic DNS update client |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
 Explore our comprehensive directory of recommended free and open source software. Our carefully curated collection spans every major software category.This directory is part of our ongoing series of informative articles for Linux enthusiasts. It features hundreds of detailed reviews, along with open source alternatives to proprietary solutions from major corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk. You’ll also find interesting projects to try, hardware coverage, free programming books and tutorials, and much more. Discovered a useful open source Linux program that we haven’t covered yet? Let us know by completing this form. |