brew

Install adns with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper

C/C++ resolver library and DNS resolver utilities. Version 1.6.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-26.

Install command Security notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install adns

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install adns

MacPorts ports tree · net/adns/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install adns-tools

Debian stable package indexes · adns-tools · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install adns

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · adns · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#adns

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ad/adns/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S adns

Arch Linux sync databases · adns · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install adns

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · adns · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

C/C++ resolver library and DNS resolver utilities

Project links

Commands and aliases

adnsheloex
adnshost
adnslogres
adnsresfilter

history

Project history and usage

GNU adns is Ian Jackson's asynchronous-capable DNS resolver library for C and C++ programs, accompanied by command-line resolver utilities. It offers a nonblocking resolver API and utility programs such as adnshost, adnslogres, and adnsresfilter.

Project history

The official homepage describes adns as an advanced, easy-to-use DNS client library and utilities collection. It contrasts adns with gethostbyname and libresolv by emphasizing asynchronous operation, multiple simultaneous queries, decoded response structures, sanity checking, explicit resolver state, and conventional resolv.conf support.

The official previous-versions directory shows public release tarballs starting with adns 0.1 in April 1999, progressing through 1.0 in 2000, 1.5.x in the 2010s, and 1.6.x releases in the 2020s. The homepage also points to a master git repository browser and notes that adns is available from GNU Project FTP servers and mirrors.

Adoption history

adns became a GNU-distributed resolver component with both library and scriptable CLI use cases. The supplied package metadata shows broad packaging under Homebrew, Debian/Ubuntu adns-tools, Fedora/DNF, MacPorts, Nix, Arch/pacman, and openSUSE zypper.

The homepage lists ecosystem bindings and integrations, including Python bindings, liboop event-loop support, and an MS Visual Studio C++ port. That adoption pattern is very Unix-library-like: one C API, a few small command-line tools, and integrations by event loops and language bindings.

How it is used

C and C++ programs use adns when they need DNS lookups without blocking on one resolver call at a time. The library can process many queries simultaneously, return decoded records, distinguish failure causes, and use or override conventional resolver configuration.

Shell and scripting users get adnshost for DNS lookups, adnslogres as a faster Apache logresolv-style tool, and adnsresfilter for replacing IP addresses in streamed command output without delaying the stream unnecessarily.

Why package nerds care

adns is package-nerd interesting because it is a classic Unix networking library packaged alongside small utilities, with GNU distribution, long-running release tarballs, and distro-specific binary splits. It also documents the resolver boundary clearly: it is a stub resolver and expects a real recursive nameserver on the same system or a secure nearby network.

Timeline

1999-04: adns 0.1 tarball appears in the official previous-versions directory.
2000-09: adns 1.0 tarball appears in the official previous-versions directory.
2014-11: adns 1.5.0 tarball appears after the long 1.4 era.
2020-06: adns 1.6.0 tarball appears.
2026-05: adns 1.6.2 tarball appears in the official previous-versions directory.

Related projects

GNU FTP distribution and mirrors are linked by the homepage.
liboop is listed as having a built-in adns binding.
Python bindings and a Visual Studio C++ port are listed as related projects.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

library-like package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

library-like package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:library-like

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: /etc/resolv.conf

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure
`adnsheloex`	cli	global executable
`adnshost`	cli	global executable
`adnslogres`	cli	global executable
`adnsresfilter`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version1.6.2

manager updated2026-05-26

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/

infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:adns
Version	1.6.2
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/adns
Homepage	https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/
Repository	https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/ucgi/~ianmdlvl/git/adns.git
Upstream docs	https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns
License	GPL-3.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.0-or-later
Source archive	https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/ftp/adns-1.6.2.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-05-26T23:37:49-04:00
Pulse	updated
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	adns
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

adns-tools 1.6.1-1

Asynchronous-capable DNS client utilities

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/

sudo apt install adns-tools

Section: net
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: adns
2 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: adns-tools from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Debian apt95%

libadns1-dbg 1.6.1-1

Asynchronous-capable DNS client library (debugging symbols)

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/

sudo apt install libadns1-dbg

Section: debug
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: adns
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libadns1-dbg from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Debian apt95%

libadns1-dev 1.6.1-1

Asynchronous-capable DNS client library (development)

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/

sudo apt install libadns1-dev

Section: libdevel
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: adns
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libadns1-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Debian apt95%

libadns1t64 1.6.1-1

Asynchronous-capable DNS client library

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/

sudo apt install libadns1t64

Section: libs
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: adns
1 dependencies
1 provides
1 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libadns1t64 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix95%

adns

nix profile install nixpkgs#adns

normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ad/adns/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Ubuntu apt95%

adns-tools 1.6.0-2.1ubuntu3

Asynchronous-capable DNS client utilities

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/

sudo apt install adns-tools

Section: universe/net
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: adns
2 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: adns-tools from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

Ubuntu apt95%

libadns1-dbg 1.6.0-2.1ubuntu3

Asynchronous-capable DNS client library (debugging symbols)

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/

sudo apt install libadns1-dbg

Section: universe/debug
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: adns
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libadns1-dbg from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

Ubuntu apt95%

libadns1-dev 1.6.0-2.1ubuntu3

Asynchronous-capable DNS client library (development)

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/

sudo apt install libadns1-dev

Section: universe/libdevel
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: adns
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libadns1-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

Ubuntu apt95%

libadns1t64 1.6.0-2.1ubuntu3

Asynchronous-capable DNS client library

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/

sudo apt install libadns1t64

Section: universe/libs
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: adns
1 dependencies
1 provides
1 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libadns1t64 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

dnf95%

adns 1.6.1-6.fc44

Advanced, easy to use, asynchronous-capable DNS client library

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/

sudo dnf install adns

License: GPL-1.0-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: i686
Source Package: adns
2 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: adns from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

adns-devel 1.6.1-6.fc44

Asynchronous-capable DNS client library - development files

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/

sudo dnf install adns-devel

License: GPL-1.0-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: i686
Source Package: adns
2 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: adns-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

dnf95%

adns-progs 1.6.1-6.fc44

Asynchronous-capable DNS client library - utility programs

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/

sudo dnf install adns-progs

License: GPL-1.0-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: adns
4 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: adns-progs from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

pacman95%

adns 1.6.1-1

An asyncronous replacement resolver library

https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/

sudo pacman -S adns

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: adns from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

zypper95%

adns 1.6.2-1.1

Advanced Easy-to-Use Asynchronous-Capable DNS Utilities

https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/ftp/

sudo zypper install adns

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Category: Productivity/Networking/DNS/Utilities
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: adns
2 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: adns from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

zypper95%

libadns-devel 1.6.2-1.1

Libraries and header files to develop programs with libadns support

https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/ftp/

sudo zypper install libadns-devel

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Category: Development/Languages/C and C++
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: adns
2 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: libadns-devel from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

zypper95%

libadns1 1.6.2-1.1

Advanced DNS resolver client library

https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ian/adns/ftp/

sudo zypper install libadns1

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Category: System/Libraries
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: adns
2 dependencies
3 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Adns

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: libadns1 from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/adns.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install adns with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper

Additional install commands

macOS

Linux

Package summary

Project links

Commands and aliases

Project history and usage

Project history

Adoption history

How it is used

Why package nerds care

Timeline

Related projects

Sources

Risk level: green

Risk classifier

Why

Signals

Install behavior

Recommended review

Configuration and credential file locations

Configuration files

Installed executables

Version and freshness

Package metadata

Source database details

Other package-manager records

Internal package links

Topical hubs

Related tools

Same workflow

Agent security guides

Generated from repository data

Combined YAML source

Used sources