{"id":55081,"date":"2023-02-13T21:32:35","date_gmt":"2023-02-13T21:32:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/?p=55081"},"modified":"2023-02-13T22:34:41","modified_gmt":"2023-02-13T22:34:41","slug":"dig-command-in-linux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/dig-command-in-linux\/","title":{"rendered":"Dig Command: The Most Common Use Cases in Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The <code>dig<\/code> command, short for Domain Information Groper, is a highly versatile and helpful tool for network administrators and those working in the domain name system (DNS) realm. It allows you to query DNS servers for information about host addresses, mail exchanges, name servers, and other related DNS records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This powerful command has many applications and can be used for various tasks, from simple DNS lookups to more advanced troubleshooting and analysis. This article will explore some of the most common use cases for the <code>dig<\/code> command and provide examples to illustrate its functionality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, the <code>nslookup<\/code> command is a popular tool that can be used instead of the <code>dig<\/code> command. It has similar functionality and is usually easier to use, although it does not have the more advanced features offered by <code>dig<\/code>. You&#8217;ll find our guide on the subject very helpful if you want to learn&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/nslookup-linux-command-explained-with-examples\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how to use the nslookup command<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-installing-dig-command\">Installing Dig Command<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If the <code>dig<\/code> command is not installed on your Linux distribution, you can quickly and easily install it using one of the below commands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Debian and Debian-based Distros (Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Pop!_OS)<\/h3>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-bash\">sudo apt install dnsutils<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Red Hat and RHEL-based Distros (Fedora, CentOS Stream, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux)<\/h3>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-bash\">sudo dnf install bind-utils<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Arch Linux and Arch-based Distros (Manjaro, EndeavourOS, Garuda Linux)<\/h3>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-bash\">sudo pacman -S dnsutils<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">openSUSE<\/h3>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-bash\">sudo zypper in bind-utils<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dig Command Syntax<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The basic syntax of the dig command is:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-1\" data-shcb-language-name=\"CSS\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"css\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-css language-bash\"><span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-attr\">&#91;@server]<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-attr\">&#91;name]<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-attr\">&#91;type]<\/span><\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-1\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">CSS<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">css<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>@server<\/strong>: The hostname or IP address of the DNS server to which the request is directed. If no DNS server is specified, <code>dig<\/code> uses the DNS server that is currently configured for your system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>name<\/strong>: Specifies the domain name that is to be looked up.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>type<\/strong>: The type of DNS record to retrieve. If left blank,&nbsp;<code>dig<\/code>&nbsp;retrieves the A record type by default.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>To give an example, to retrieve the <em>MX<\/em> record for the domain <em>archlinux.org<\/em> using the Google DNS server at <em>8.8.8.8<\/em>, our <code>dig<\/code> command would be as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-2\" data-shcb-language-name=\"CSS\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"css\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-css language-bash\"><span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-keyword\">@8<\/span>.8.8.8 archlinux.org MX<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-2\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">CSS<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">css<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-syntax-example.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"945\" height=\"609\" src=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-syntax-example.jpg\" alt=\"dig command\" class=\"wp-image-55105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-syntax-example.jpg 945w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-syntax-example-380x245.jpg 380w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-syntax-example-768x495.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 945px) 100vw, 945px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">dig command<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Basic DNS Lookup with dig<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When no other options are supplied, the <code>dig<\/code> command will display the A record by default in the ANSWER section.<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-3\" data-shcb-language-name=\"CSS\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"css\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-css language-bash\"><span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">archlinux<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.org<\/span><\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-3\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">CSS<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">css<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-basic-use.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"950\" height=\"612\" src=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-basic-use.jpg\" alt=\"Basic DNS lookup with dig.\" class=\"wp-image-55114\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-basic-use.jpg 950w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-basic-use-380x245.jpg 380w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-basic-use-768x495.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 950px) 100vw, 950px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Basic DNS lookup with dig.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This section has five columns, each of which stands for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The domain name that is to be looked up.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Time to live period &#8211; a setting that tells the DNS resolver how long to cache a query before requesting a new one.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Class of the query &#8211; IN refers to the Internet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>DNS query type &#8211; can be A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS, PTR, CERT, SRV, TXT, SOA, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The IP address associated with the domain name.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Remove the Comments from the DNS Query Answer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You can significantly reduce the amount of information returned to you by the <code>dig<\/code> command by adding the &#8220;<code>+nocomments<\/code>&#8221; option.<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-4\" data-shcb-language-name=\"CSS\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"css\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-css language-bash\"><span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">archlinux<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.org<\/span> +<span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">nocomments<\/span><\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-4\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">CSS<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">css<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-nocomments.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"925\" height=\"379\" src=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-nocomments.jpg\" alt=\"Remove the comments from the DNS query answer.\" class=\"wp-image-55123\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-nocomments.jpg 925w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-nocomments-380x156.jpg 380w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-nocomments-768x315.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 925px) 100vw, 925px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Remove the comments from the DNS query answer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Query the Answers Section Only<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Dig provides a simple way to focus solely on the ANSWER section. Combining the options &#8220;<code>+noall<\/code>,&#8221; which clears all display flags, and &#8220;<code>+answer<\/code>,&#8221; which includes the ANSWER section in the query response, yields a clean and easy-to-read result.<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-5\" data-shcb-language-name=\"CSS\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"css\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-css language-bash\"><span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">archlinux<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.org<\/span> +<span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">noall<\/span> +<span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">answer<\/span><\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-5\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">CSS<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">css<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-only-answer.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"865\" height=\"166\" src=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-only-answer.jpg\" alt=\"Query the answers section only.\" class=\"wp-image-55174\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-only-answer.jpg 865w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-only-answer-380x73.jpg 380w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-only-answer-768x147.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Query the answers section only.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Return Only the Address in a Reply<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We can further simplify the returned result by adding the &#8220;<code>+short<\/code>&#8221; option to remove any additional information from the response to our <code>dig<\/code> query and get back only the address.<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-6\" data-shcb-language-name=\"CSS\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"css\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-css language-bash\"><span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">archlinux<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.org<\/span> +<span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">short<\/span><\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-6\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">CSS<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">css<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-short.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"923\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-short.jpg\" alt=\"Return only the address in a reply.\" class=\"wp-image-55129\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-short.jpg 923w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-short-380x70.jpg 380w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-short-768x141.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 923px) 100vw, 923px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Return only the address in a reply.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Specifying DNS Server<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>By default, <code>dig<\/code> sends queries to the DNS server specified as the default for use locally on your Linux system. Sometimes, however, you may want to send the query to a DNS server other than your default. To do so, use the syntax &#8220;<em>@server<\/em>,&#8221; where &#8220;<em>server<\/em>&#8221; is the IP address or name of the DNS server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, to send a query to the Google DNS server that has an IP address of 8.8.8.8, type:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-7\" data-shcb-language-name=\"CSS\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"css\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-css language-bash\"><span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-keyword\">@8<\/span>.8.8.8 archlinux.org<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-7\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">CSS<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">css<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-other-server.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"926\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-other-server.jpg\" alt=\"Querying another DNS server with dig.\" class=\"wp-image-55135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-other-server.jpg 926w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-other-server-380x250.jpg 380w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-other-server-768x504.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 926px) 100vw, 926px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Querying another DNS server with dig.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Search for Specific Record Type with dig<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>DNS record types vary, the most common being A, CNAME, MX, NS, TXT, etc. Their complete list is <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_DNS_record_types\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">available here<\/a>. In addition, you can use the <code>dig<\/code> command to search for a specific DNS record type by adding its name to the end of the command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, to obtain information about the MX (Mail Exchanger) record, type:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-8\" data-shcb-language-name=\"CSS\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"css\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-css language-bash\"><span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">archlinux<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.org<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">MX<\/span><\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-8\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">CSS<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">css<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-dns-type.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"922\" height=\"606\" src=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-dns-type.jpg\" alt=\"Querying for DNS MX type with dig.\" class=\"wp-image-55141\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-dns-type.jpg 922w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-dns-type-380x250.jpg 380w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-dns-type-768x505.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 922px) 100vw, 922px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Querying for DNS MX type with dig.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Quite similarly, you can send requests for other DNS record types.<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-9\" data-shcb-language-name=\"CSS\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"css\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-css language-bash\"><span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">archlinux<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.org<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">NS<\/span>\n<span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">archlinux<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.org<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">TXT<\/span>\n<span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">archlinux<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.org<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">SOA<\/span>\n<span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">archlinux<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.org<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">PTR<\/span>\n<span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">archlinux<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.org<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">AAAA<\/span><\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-9\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">CSS<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">css<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Or get all records together using the special keyword &#8220;<code>ALL<\/code>. &#8220;<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-10\" data-shcb-language-name=\"CSS\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"css\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-css language-bash\"><span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">archlinux<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.org<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">ALL<\/span><\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-10\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">CSS<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">css<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Trace DNS Path with the dig Command<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are unsure where a misconfiguration may be causing an issue, you can do a &#8220;<code>+trace<\/code>&#8221; to see what is happening at each step of the lookup process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-trace.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"815\" src=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-trace-1024x815.jpg\" alt=\"Trace the DNS path with the dig command.\" class=\"wp-image-55147\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-trace-1024x815.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-trace-380x302.jpg 380w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-trace-768x611.jpg 768w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-trace.jpg 1113w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Trace the DNS path with the dig command.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reverse DNS Lookup with dig<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To look up a domain name by its IP address, use the dig&#8217;s &#8220;<code>-x<\/code>&#8221; option. This option sets simplified reverse DNS lookups for mapping addresses to names. The address can be an IPv4 address in dotted-decimal notation or a colon-delimited IPv6 address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the following example, <code>dig<\/code> will run a reverse DNS query for the IP address associated with archlinux.org.<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-11\" data-shcb-language-name=\"CSS\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"css\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-css language-bash\"><span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">-x<\/span> 95<span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.217<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.163<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.246<\/span><\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-11\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">CSS<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">css<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-reverse.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"889\" height=\"584\" src=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-reverse.jpg\" alt=\"Reverse DNS lookup with dig.\" class=\"wp-image-55150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-reverse.jpg 889w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-reverse-380x250.jpg 380w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-reverse-768x505.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 889px) 100vw, 889px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reverse DNS lookup with dig.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Multiple dig Queries at Once<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of doing a dig query for each domain separately, you may use dig to perform a DNS lookup for a list of domains (batch queries). To do so, insert the domain names in a text file, one per line, and run the dig query on the file using the &#8220;<code>-f<\/code>&#8221; option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-domains-list.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"878\" height=\"282\" src=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-domains-list.jpg\" alt=\"Domains list.\" class=\"wp-image-55156\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-domains-list.jpg 878w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-domains-list-380x122.jpg 380w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-domains-list-768x247.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 878px) 100vw, 878px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Domains list.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;ve also added the &#8220;<code>+short<\/code>&#8221; option to display query results conveniently.<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-12\" data-shcb-language-name=\"CSS\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"css\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-css language-bash\"><span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">-f<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">domains<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.txt<\/span> +<span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">short<\/span><\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-12\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">CSS<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">css<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-batch-queries.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"908\" height=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-batch-queries.jpg\" alt=\"Batch DNS queries.\" class=\"wp-image-55159\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-batch-queries.jpg 908w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-batch-queries-380x119.jpg 380w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-batch-queries-768x240.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 908px) 100vw, 908px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Batch DNS queries.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Adjust Default dig Options<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It can be annoying to write the <code>dig<\/code> command with the same options repeatedly if we use it frequently. Fortunately, the &#8220;<em>~\/.digrc<\/em>&#8221; file allows us to redefine all the default values with which the command is executed so that we don&#8217;t have to write them every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Assume you want <code>dig<\/code> always to show you the query output with the comments removed by default. Create a &#8220;<em>.digrc<\/em>&#8221; file in your home directory and add the appropriate option, in this example, &#8220;<code>+nocomments<\/code>,&#8221; to it. If you want to include more options, place them one after the other on a separate line.<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-bash\">vim ~\/.digrc<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-digrc.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"910\" height=\"191\" src=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-digrc.jpg\" alt=\"The .digrc file.\" class=\"wp-image-55165\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-digrc.jpg 910w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-digrc-380x80.jpg 380w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-digrc-768x161.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 910px) 100vw, 910px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The .digrc file.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Save the file and exit. The next time you run the dig command without any other options, you will only get the short answer to your DNS query.<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-13\" data-shcb-language-name=\"CSS\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"css\"><span><code lang=\"bash\" class=\"hljs language-css language-bash\"><span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">dig<\/span> <span class=\"hljs-selector-tag\">archlinux<\/span><span class=\"hljs-selector-class\">.org<\/span><\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-13\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">CSS<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">css<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-predefined-options.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"908\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-predefined-options.jpg\" alt=\"Adjust the default dig options.\" class=\"wp-image-55168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-predefined-options.jpg 908w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-predefined-options-380x146.jpg 380w, https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dig-predefined-options-768x296.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 908px) 100vw, 908px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Adjust the default dig options.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <code>dig<\/code> command is a valuable asset for system administrators and network engineers, from basic queries to complex ones. Whether you&#8217;re troubleshooting DNS issues, researching domain names, or simply checking the information of a specific website, the <code>dig<\/code> command offers a versatile solution. With numerous options and flags, you can tailor the output to meet your needs and extract the required information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ve covered the most frequent use of the <code>dig<\/code> command to query DNS servers. We hope we have been of help to you. You can find more information regarding <code>dig<\/code> on&nbsp;its <a href=\"https:\/\/linux.die.net\/man\/1\/dig\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">manual page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please feel free to leave your comments, suggestions, and additions in the section below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This example-filled guide shows you how to make the most of the Linux dig command to perform DNS lookups, reverse lookups, and 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