# dog — A Command-Line DNS Client for Humans

> dog is a modern DNS lookup CLI written in Rust that prints results in color, supports DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS, and speaks JSON for scripting.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# dog — A Command-Line DNS Client for Humans

## Quick Use
```bash
brew install dog
# Simple A lookup, colorized
dog example.com
# MX over DoH via Cloudflare, JSON output
dog MX example.com --https @https://cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query --json
```

## Introduction
`dig` is powerful but its output is a wall of angle brackets. `dog` is the modern successor: colorful, well-spaced, and aware of DNS-over-TLS (DoT), DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH), and Tor. A single static Rust binary, it fits in CI pipelines and dev containers without pulling in `bind-utils`.

## What dog Does
- Performs DNS lookups for A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, SOA, SRV, PTR, CAA, and more.
- Supports UDP, TCP, DNS-over-TLS, DNS-over-HTTPS.
- Colorizes record types, TTLs, and data.
- Emits JSON with `--json` for scripts.
- Accepts multiple records/domains in one invocation.

## Architecture Overview
dog parses CLI args, resolves the requested server (udp/tcp/tls/https), constructs a DNS query with the `dns` crate, and transmits via the chosen transport. Responses decode into typed records and render via `ansi_term`. JSON output uses serde for downstream tooling.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via brew, cargo, apt, dnf, scoop, or release binaries.
- Config file `~/.config/dog/dog.toml` stores default servers.
- `DOG_DEBUG=1` prints wire-format for troubleshooting.
- DoT/DoH endpoints work with custom CAs via `--tls-ca`.

## Key Features
- Colorized, readable output out of the box.
- DoT/DoH/DoQ transports for modern privacy.
- JSON for scripting and dashboards.
- Multiple queries per invocation (`dog A AAAA example.com github.com`).
- ~2MB static binary.

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **dig** — canonical; verbose output, no DoH by default.
- **drill** — ldns-based; no DoH.
- **kdig** — knot-dns client; solid DoT/DoH but CLI less polished.
- **doggo** — Go-based modern CLI; feature-parity close to dog.
- **nslookup** — interactive & dated.

## FAQ
**Q: DoQ support?**
A: Experimental behind a build flag.

**Q: Can I use dog in CI?**
A: Yes — `--json` pairs well with `jq` assertions.

**Q: How do I pick a resolver?**
A: `@1.1.1.1`, `@https://dns.google/dns-query`, or `@tls://9.9.9.9`.

**Q: DNSSEC validation?**
A: Displays RRSIG records but does not validate; pair with unbound for validation.

## Sources
- https://github.com/ogham/dog
- https://dns.lookup.dog

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/bc8fd465-389d-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: Script Depot