When one has a server that is subjected to unpredictable IP address changes, such as at home or elsewhere, a change in IP address causes unexpected downtime. Instead of paying for a static IP address, you can use a dynamic DNS client on the server, which will update the WAN IP address on the DNS server.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Zero dependencies (one can opt to dynamically link openssl when compiling from source).
- A standard configuration (TOML) that is similar to ddclient’s.
- Support for multiple Dynamic DNS Services:
- Cloudflare.
- GoDaddy.
- Namecheap.
- He.net.
- No-IP.
- Dynu.
- Porkbun.
- Permissively licensed.
- Cross-platform support – runs under Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows.
Website: github.com/nickbabcock/dness
Support:
Developer: Nick Babcock
License: MIT License
dness is written in Rust. Learn Rust 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. |