CoreDNS is a DNS server and forwarder built around a chain of plugins. Rather than providing every function through a single fixed implementation, it processes DNS requests through configurable components, each responsible for a particular operation.
The server can provide authoritative DNS responses, forward requests to upstream resolvers, cache results and supply service discovery for container-based environments. Its plugin architecture allows administrators to assemble different DNS behaviours for individual zones, while developers can implement additional functionality through custom plugins.
Configuration is handled through a Corefile, which defines the zones served by CoreDNS and the plugins applied to incoming requests. CoreDNS is widely associated with Kubernetes, where it provides DNS-based service discovery for workloads, but the same server can be used independently for conventional DNS forwarding and authoritative services.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Serve authoritative DNS records from zone files using the file plugin.
- Automatically discover and reload zone files from designated directories.
- Provide Kubernetes service discovery through the kubernetes plugin.
- Forward DNS queries to upstream recursive resolvers using configurable policies.
- Cache positive and negative DNS responses to reduce repeated upstream requests.
- Support DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS for encrypted DNS communication.
- Sign DNS responses using the dnssec plugin.
- Transfer zones between primary and secondary servers.
- Use etcd as a backend for DNS records.
- Rewrite DNS queries and generate responses from templates.
- Provide DNS64 functionality for IPv6-only environments.
- Expose Prometheus metrics, health checks and readiness information.
- Log DNS queries and errors for troubleshooting.
- Implement custom DNS functionality through additional plugins.
Website: github.com/coredns/coredns
Support:
Developer: CoreDNS Authors
License: Apache License 2.0
CoreDNS is written in Go. Learn Go with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| DNS Servers | |
|---|---|
| CoreDNS | DNS server that chains plugins |
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| PowerDNS | Authoritative server, the Recursor, and Dnsdist |
| NSD | NLnet Labs Name Server Daemon |
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| Unbound | Validating, recursive, caching DNS resolver |
| Hickory | Rust-based DNS client, server and resolver |
| YADIFA | Lightweight authoritative Name Server with DNSSEC capabilities |
| Knot DNS | High-performance authoritative-only DNS server |
| gdnsd | Authoritative-only DNS server |
| Dnsmasq | Network infrastructure: DNS, DHCP, router advertisement and network boot |
| acme-dns | Simplified DNS server with a RESTful HTTP API |
| encrypted-dns | Modern encrypted DNS server |
| MaraDNS | Small DNS server |
| aardvark-dns | Authoritative DNS server for A/AAAA container records |
| FDNS | Encrypted DNS proxy designed for small networks and Linux desktops |
| tinydns | Tiny DNS server with simple JSON config |
| pkdns | DNS server resolving pkarr self-sovereign domains |
| dprox | Lightweight DNS proxy server |
| PopuraDNS | Simple DNS server with decentralized domain names support |
| pdnsd | DNS server designed for local caching of DNS information |
| dnrs | DNS server written in rust |
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