dictd is a dictionary database server implementing the Dictionary Server Protocol (DICT).
The protocol uses TCP transactions to give clients a uniform way to request definitions and search word indexes across multiple natural-language dictionary databases. This makes dictd useful when several dictionaries need to be exposed through one consistent network interface rather than accessed independently. Databases are distributed separately from the server, so administrators can choose which collections to provide and configure how clients reach them.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Serve multiple dictionary databases through the DICT protocol.
- Return word definitions and perform index searches using configurable strategies.
- Report information about available databases and supported search methods.
- Provide database metadata such as copyright, citation and distribution information.
- Support access restrictions for selected databases or clients.
- Handle UTF-8 dictionaries as well as supported 8-bit encoded databases.
- Allow non-alphanumeric characters in searches when declared by database metadata.
- Choose the listening host, port and network address family.
- Support IPv4 and IPv6 networking.
- Drop root privileges after startup and run under a dedicated unprivileged account when available.
- Write activity through syslog or a configurable log file.
- Limit server child processes and adjust connection-related settings.
- Read settings from a configurable server configuration file.
- Optionally preprocess configuration with tools such as m4 or cpp.
- Run continuously as a daemon, with an inetd-compatible mode also available.
Website: github.com/cheusov/dictd
Support:
Developer: Rickard E. Faith and Aleksey Cheusov
License: GNU General Public License v1.0
dictd is written in C. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Dictionary Tools | |
|---|---|
| GoldenDict-ng | Advanced dictionary lookup program, supporting many formats |
| GoldenDict | Feature-rich tool offering translations of words and phrases |
| PyGlossary | Tool for converting dictionary files aka glossaries |
| OpenDict | Supports popular computer dictionary formats including Slowo and Mova |
| xfce4-dict | Client program to query dictionaries |
| SilverDict | Web-based alternative to GoldenDict |
| Artha | Handy off-line thesaurus based on WordNet |
| Wordbook | Offline English-English dictionary application built for GNOME |
| Quick Lookup | Simple GTK dictionary application |
| sdcv | Simple cross-platform text-base utility |
| AyanDict | Basic dictionary app |
| StarDict | Powerful features such as Glob-style pattern matching |
| charcoal | Command line dictionary that's an alternative to wudao-dict |
| cambd | Cambridge dictionary CLI app |
| Words | Multilingual offline dictionary |
| rdict | Offline CLI dictionary using data from wiktionary. |
| Lexi | Self-driven dictionary app |
| Kotoba | Japanese – English dictionary |
| GNOME Dictionary | Simple, clean, GUI DICT tool |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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