The internet uses numbers, not names, to find computers. Domain Name System (DNS) is the internet’s directory service: It takes a human readable name, like “www.linuxlinks.com”, and converts that name to a machine readable “IP” address that your computer can use to connect to www.linuxlinks.com.
Browsers then use those addresses to communicate with origin servers or CDN edge servers to access website information. This all happens thanks to DNS servers: machines dedicated to answering DNS queries.
DNS is one of these things many take for granted that is critical to using the internet. Without DNS, the internet breaks. It’s critical that a DNS server keeps the internet working in a secure and stable manner.
DNS clients, which are built into most modern desktop and mobile operating systems, enable web browsers to interact with DNS servers.
This roundup selects a motley collection of useful DNS tools. Here’s our verdict captured in a legendary LinuxLinks-style ratings chart. Only free and open source software is eligible for inclusion here.
Click the links below to learn more about each tool.
| Useful DNS Tools | |
|---|---|
| DNSControl | System for maintaining DNS zones |
| q | Command line DNS client |
| octoDNS | Manage DNS across multiple providers |
| nsupdate.info | Implement a free dynamic DNS service |
| ExternalDNS | Automatically keep Kubernetes resources and their DNS records in sync |
| DNSViz | Visualise DNS and DNSSEC problems at a glance |
| dnsglobe | Check how DNS records propagate around the world |
| DNSDiag | Pinpoint DNS delays and troubleshoot lookup failures |
| DomainMOD | Manage domains and other internet assets in a central location |
| Poweradmin | Web-based DNS administration tool |
| dnsperf | Measure performance of authoritative domain name services |
| ctrld | Configurable DNS forwarding proxy |
| Atomia DNS | Multi-tenant system for handling large amounts of DNS data |
| SPFtoolbox | Look up DNS records |
| Flamethrower | Stress DNS servers with high-volume queries to test performance |
| DNS-collector | Collect, transform and route DNS traffic data for monitoring and analysis |
| Designate | Multi-tenant DNSaaS service for OpenStack |
| Zonemaster-CLI | Put DNS zones through extensive automated checks from a terminal |
| dnsi | Tool to investigate the DNS |
| Digger | Modern DNS lookup tool with a graphical interface |
| dnst | Toolset to assist DNS operators with zone and nameserver maintenance |
| dnspyre | Command-line DNS benchmark tool |
| dns-lexicon | Manage DNS records across providers through a consistent interface |
This article has been updated to reflect the changes outlined in our recent announcement.
 Explore our carefully curated directory of recommended free and open source software, covering every major software category.The directory forms part of our extensive collection of articles for Linux enthusiasts. It includes hundreds of detailed reviews, together with free and open source alternatives to proprietary software from companies such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk. LinuxLinks also covers interesting projects worth exploring, Linux-compatible hardware, free programming books and tutorials, and much more. Know a useful free and open source Linux application that we haven’t covered? Tell us about it using our submission form. |
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