install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install dnscontrol

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install dnscontrol

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/dnscontrol/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add dnscontrol

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dnscontrol · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#dnscontrol

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

Windows

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%

winget install --id StackExchange.DNSControl -e

Windows Package Manager source index · StackExchange.DNSControl · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com

overview

Package summary

Synchronize your DNS to multiple providers from a simple DSL

Project links

Commands and aliases

dnscontrol

history

Project history and usage

DNSControl is an infrastructure-as-code tool for managing DNS records across multiple registrars and DNS providers. It uses a JavaScript-like DSL in dnsconfig.js, provider credentials in creds.json, and commands such as preview and push to turn repository-managed DNS intent into provider changes.

Project history

Stack Overflow introduced DNSControl publicly in 2017 as the system it built to manage DNS with a describe-once, use-anywhere model. The project grew from Stack Exchange's operational needs into an open-source tool with provider plugins, a compiler-like intermediate representation, and a documentation site for the DSL and provider ecosystem.

Adoption history

DNSControl's adoption story is unusually package-nerdy because its own README cites Stack Overflow using it for hundreds of domains and subdomains. That production pedigree, plus support for many providers, made it attractive to teams that wanted DNS changes reviewed, tested, and applied like code.

How it is used

A typical workflow is to keep dnsconfig.js, creds.json, and optional zone files in a Git repository, run dnscontrol preview to inspect changes, and run dnscontrol push to apply them. The getting-started guide explicitly walks users through creating a config directory, dnsconfig.js, creds.json, and a zones directory for local testing.

Why package nerds care

DNSControl matters to package and ops people because it turns DNS into a reproducible artifact with reviewable diffs. It also represents the CLI packaging sweet spot: a Go binary, strong docs, release automation, Docker support, Homebrew availability, and enough provider plugins to justify distro packaging.

Timeline

2017: Stack Overflow introduces DNSControl as DNS as code.
2024: v4.x releases continue the provider-plugin and DNS compiler model.
2026: The project documents 64 supported DNS providers and registrars in its README.

Related projects

Terraform DNS providers solve adjacent infrastructure-as-code problems with a different state model.
BIND zone files are a common input, output, or migration target for DNSControl workflows.

Sources

security posture

No protected-tool coverage found yet

No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for dnscontrol. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

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: ./dnsconfig.js

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: ./creds.json

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`dnscontrol`	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 version4.42.0

manager updated2026-06-18

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv4.42.0

https://github.com/DNSControl/dnscontrol

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:dnscontrol
Version	4.42.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/dnscontrol
Homepage	https://dnscontrol.org/
Repository	https://github.com/DNSControl/dnscontrol
Upstream docs	https://dnscontrol.org/
License	MIT
Source archive	https://github.com/DNSControl/dnscontrol/archive/refs/tags/v4.42.0.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-06-18T21:40:25Z
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared
Caveats	dnscontrol bash completion depends on the bash-completion package.

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	dnscontrol
Version Scheme	1
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.

Nix95%

dnscontrol

nix profile install nixpkgs#dnscontrol

normalized package name match
Matched by: Dnscontrol

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

apk95%

dnscontrol 4.41.0-r0

Synchronize your DNS to multiple providers from a simple DSL

https://dnscontrol.org/

sudo apk add dnscontrol

License: MIT
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: dnscontrol
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Dnscontrol

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dnscontrol from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

dnscontrol-doc 4.41.0-r0

Synchronize your DNS to multiple providers from a simple DSL (documentation)

https://dnscontrol.org/

sudo apk add dnscontrol-doc

License: MIT
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: dnscontrol
normalized package name match
Matched by: Dnscontrol

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dnscontrol-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

MacPorts95%

dnscontrol

sudo port install dnscontrol

normalized package name match
Matched by: Dnscontrol

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/dnscontrol/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

winget95%

StackExchange.DNSControl

winget install --id StackExchange.DNSControl -e

normalized package name match
Matched by: Dnscontrol

Windows Package Manager source index · cdn.winget.microsoft.com · Windows Package Manager source index: StackExchange.DNSControl from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

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/dnscontrol.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 dnscontrol with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix, winget