macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install chinadns-clocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install chinadns-c with Homebrew
Port of ChinaDNS to C: fix irregularities with DNS in China. Version 1.3.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Port of ChinaDNS to C: fix irregularities with DNS in China
Project links
Commands and aliases
- chinadns
history
Project history and usage
ChinaDNS-C is the packaged C implementation of ChinaDNS, a small DNS forwarder built for networks affected by DNS poisoning and CDN split-horizon behavior.
Project history
The upstream repository started in 2014 and its README describes a DNS design that queries local resolvers for Chinese domains and foreign resolvers for foreign domains, using a relatively stable Chinese IP range file instead of fast-changing domain lists. The project is closely tied to the Shadowsocks-era anti-censorship tooling ecosystem and explicitly points users toward VPN software such as ShadowVPN for IP blocking.
Adoption history
Upstream documented Linux/Unix builds, OpenWrt packaging, Tomato-router cross-compilation, and a Windows Python executable, which made the tool relevant beyond a single desktop formula. Homebrew packages the C port as chinadns-c and tracks the 1.3.2 release tarball.
How it is used
Typical use is running chinadns as a local UDP DNS server, often with dnsmasq on routers, with a chnroute.txt file generated from APNIC delegated address data and options such as DNS compression pointer mutation.
Why package nerds care
For package people, chinadns-c is a compact example of network-circumvention software moving from router firmware workflows into general-purpose package managers, with Homebrew preserving a once-active C utility from the Shadowsocks orbit.
Timeline
- 2014: First commits in the official ChinaDNS repository.
- 2014: 1.0.0 tag appears shortly after the initial import.
- 2015: README copyright and later 1.3.x tags show the mature C release line packaged by Homebrew.
- 2026: Homebrew still exposes chinadns-c as a bottled formula at stable version 1.3.2.
Related projects
- The README names ShadowVPN as companion VPN software and dnsmasq as the recommended local DNS front end on OpenWrt. chnroute.txt generation is based on APNIC delegated address data.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 13 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.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
chinadns | 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 version1.3.2
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/shadowsocks/ChinaDNS
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/shadowsocks/ChinaDNSnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:chinadns-c |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.3.2 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/chinadns-c |
| Homepage | https://github.com/shadowsocks/ChinaDNS |
| Repository | https://github.com/shadowsocks/ChinaDNS |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/shadowsocks/ChinaDNS#readme |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/shadowsocks/ChinaDNS/releases/download/1.3.2/chinadns-1.3.2.tar.gz |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura, 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 | chinadns-c |
| 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 |
|
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.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment