Dig Cheatsheet

DNS lookup tool for querying domain name servers and troubleshooting DNS issues

Updated at: March 10, 2025

Basic DNS Queries

The dig command is a flexible DNS lookup utility that queries DNS servers for information about host addresses, mail exchanges, name servers, and related information. It's the most versatile DNS troubleshooting tool on Unix-like systems.

Query Types (Resource Records)

DNS resource records store different types of data for a domain. The dig command can query specific record types to retrieve information about domain names, IP addresses, mail servers, and other DNS-related data.

Output Formatting

Dig provides various output formatting options to control how DNS query results are displayed. These options can be used to tailor the output for different needs, from human-readable formats to machine-parseable formats like JSON.

Advanced Query Options

Advanced dig options provide powerful capabilities for DNS troubleshooting, security validation, and specialized lookups. These options allow for precise control over how queries are performed and how results are processed.