# Install massdns with Homebrew, dnf, Nix High-performance DNS stub resolver. Version 1.1.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:massdns ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install massdns ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install massdns ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: massdns from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#massdns ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ma/massdns/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:massdns - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.1.0 - **Source summary:** High-performance DNS stub resolver - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-only - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - massdns (cli) - massdns (alias) ## Build dependencies - cmake ## Uses from macOS - libpcap ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.1.0 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/blechschmidt/massdns - Upstream latest detected: v1.1.0 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## Project history and usage MassDNS is a high-performance DNS stub resolver for bulk lookups and reconnaissance. It targets use cases where users need to resolve millions or billions of names and tune resolver, output, retry, and concurrency behavior from the command line. ### Project history The MassDNS repository was created in June 2016. Its README identifies Quirin Scheitle and the Technical University of Munich among the contributors and describes the tool as capable of more than 350,000 resolutions per second without special configuration. Release history is sparse but meaningful. Version 0.3 in 2020 replaced an `ldns` dependency with a custom DNS implementation to reduce memory allocations and added NDJSON output. Version 1.0.0 in 2021 switched the project to semantic versioning, and version 1.1.0 in 2024 added resolver-list tooling, dedicated resolver support, SVCB and HTTPS record support, and several community fixes. ### Adoption history MassDNS has a visible security and DNS-research audience, with several thousand GitHub stars and hundreds of forks. The supplied package metadata records Homebrew, Fedora, and Nix packages, which makes it accessible from both workstation and Linux server environments. Its adoption is closely tied to subdomain enumeration and bulk DNS workflows. The README includes scripts for PTR resolution, subdomain brute forcing, certificate-transparency-derived names, and direct authoritative-name-server enumeration. ### How it is used Typical usage pipes a domain list into `massdns`, chooses a resolver list with `-r`, selects a record type with `-t`, and writes output with `-w` or stdout redirection. Output modes include simple text, full text, binary, domain-list output, and NDJSON. The README emphasizes operational caution: public resolvers may be unreliable or generate abuse complaints, and users should adjust concurrency and prefer trusted resolvers when authenticity matters. ### Why package nerds care MassDNS matters to package users because it provides a fast, small DNS reconnaissance primitive that can be installed without dragging in a large framework. For command-line security and network engineers, it is the DNS-side counterpart to other high-throughput reconnaissance tools: composable, pipe-friendly, and tuned by flags rather than a GUI. ### Timeline - 2016: GitHub repository created. - 2020: v0.3 release removes the `ldns` dependency and adds NDJSON output. - 2021: v1.0.0 switches to semantic versioning. - 2024: v1.1.0 release adds resolver tooling and SVCB/HTTPS record support. ### Related projects - MassDNS includes and references subdomain enumeration workflows inspired by or compatible with tools such as subbrute. - It is commonly used alongside wordlists, certificate transparency sources, and local recursive resolvers such as Unbound. ### Sources - - - - source_facts.package-manager-url ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** massdns - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - massdns: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ma/massdns/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - dnf - massdns - 0.3-15.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: massdns from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | High-performance DNS stub resolver for bulk lookups and reconnaissance | https://github.com/blechschmidt/massdns ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [cmake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cmake/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [knot-resolver](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/knot-resolver/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, dns, networking, resolver. - [adns](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/adns/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, dns, networking, resolver. - [c-ares](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/c-ares/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, dns, networking, resolver. - [djbdns](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/djbdns/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, dns, networking, resolver. - [dnsx](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dnsx/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, dns, networking, reconnaissance. - [doh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/doh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, dns, networking, resolver. - [getdns](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/getdns/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, dns, networking, resolver. - [hickory-dns](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hickory-dns/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, dns, networking, resolver. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/massdns.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/massdns.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph