Zonemaster-CLI runs the Zonemaster test engine from a terminal to assess the quality of a domain’s DNS delegation. Use it to inspect the DNS configuration currently published on the internet, check a proposed delegation before publishing it, or focus on a particular test area. Its checks cover delegation, nameserver behavior, DNSSEC, connectivity, zone data and syntax.
What Zonemaster-CLI checks
The Zonemaster Master Test Plan groups its checks into several areas: basic checks, parent and child delegation, DNS answer consistency, DNSSEC, nameserver addresses and behavior, connectivity, zone data, and syntax. The test catalogue describes specific checks within these areas, but the suite is not a guarantee that it will identify every DNS or application-layer fault.
Delegation and nameserver operation
- Whether nameserver addresses are globally reachable and at least one nameserver responds.
- Whether the required number of nameservers is present, nameservers have distinct IP addresses, and they serve authoritatively.
- Whether parent-side glue records agree with authoritative data from the child zone.
Consistency, DNSSEC and connectivity
Consistency checks compare SOA details such as the serial, RNAME, MNAME and timers. DNSSEC checks include whether DS records match DNSKEY records, whether signatures are valid, and whether NSEC or NSEC3 and signing algorithms are configured appropriately. Zonemaster also checks matters such as whether a parent DS record is paired with a signed child zone, and whether servers respond over UDP and TCP.
Zone data and syntax
Other checks look at server responses and behavior, zone data, and hostname or zone syntax. These tests can help expose delegation and configuration problems, but they do not replace investigation of an application-specific issue that falls outside the test suite.
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Choose a live test or an undelegated test
| Test type | What it evaluates | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Live domain test | DNS information currently published in the public global DNS hierarchy. | Review an existing delegation or investigate a problem with the live configuration. |
| Undelegated test | Proposed parent-side NS and DS information, plus required glue or address information, in place of the corresponding parent-side data. | Check a planned delegation before publishing or changing parent-side NS, glue or DS records. |
For an undelegated test, provide the complete intended NS set. Include glue addresses for nameservers in the delegated zone or below, and provide DS records if the planned delegation uses them. If DS input is omitted, Zonemaster treats the proposal as having no DS records. You can supply this proposed parent-side information even when testing a name that is already delegated.
Run the full suite or focus on a test
A full run is the better starting point for an overall delegation review. If you have a specific symptom or want to inspect one area, the CLI can list available tests and run a selected test case or module. The CLI documentation describes test selection along with output and filtering options.
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Basic command-line use
For a local installation, a minimal live test is:
zonemaster-cli example.comThe project also documents a Docker invocation using the zonemaster/cli image. Consult the Zonemaster-CLI project documentation for the current installation and Docker command details.
As the run proceeds, the CLI streams test messages. It supports severity filtering, test-case identifiers, translated output and technical output formats. The Debian testing manual also documents profile overrides and flexible test selection. Available options can vary with the installed version, so check the manual for the version you are running.
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Account for the machine running the test
A live test relies on DNS information from the global hierarchy and on the host’s access to that hierarchy. If the host does not support IPv6, the official guide recommends --no-ipv6 so environment-related IPv6 errors do not mislead you about the zone.
If you need custom root hints, the CLI provides an option to supply a hints file. When running in Docker, mount that file into the container so the command can read it. A result is most useful when you distinguish a problem with the domain’s delegation from a limitation in the environment used to run the test.
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