DNS Record Lookup Command Builder
Pick a DNS record type and domain to generate dig/nslookup/host commands and online lookup links in one click, plus a 16-type DNS record reference table — the tool itself performs no live DNS lookups.
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How to Use
- Choose the DNS record type to look up from the "Record Type" dropdown (16 types supported: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SOA, PTR, SRV, CAA, CERT, DNSKEY, DS, NAPTR, SSHFP, TLSA).
- Enter the target domain in the "Domain" field, then choose the command format from "Query Tool": dig, nslookup, host, online tool URLs, or "Show All".
- Click "Generate Command" — the output box shows the corresponding command text (including basic query, query against a specific DNS server, and trace-the-resolution-path variants), with extra interpretation notes for MX/TXT/CAA record types.
- You can also click one of the "Quick Query" preset buttons (A record, MX/mail, TXT/SPF, CAA, NS, SOA, all records) to auto-fill a common example and generate its command.
- Click "Copy Output" to copy the generated command to your clipboard and run it in your own terminal to get a real result. Below the output is a reference table listing all 16 record types with their purpose and example values.
Features
- Generates lookup commands for 16 DNS record types: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SOA, PTR, SRV, CAA, CERT, DNSKEY, DS, NAPTR, SSHFP, TLSA.
- For each record type, generates dig, nslookup, and host command-line syntax, plus advanced variants like querying a specific DNS server and dig +trace for tracing the resolution path.
- Also outputs direct links to three online lookup tools: Google Admin Toolbox Dig, DNSdumpster, and DNSChecker.
- Provides dedicated field-interpretation notes for MX, TXT, and CAA records (e.g. what MX priority means, the difference between SPF/DKIM/DMARC in TXT records, and CAA's flag/tag/value fields).
- Includes a built-in reference table of all 16 record types with descriptive names, purpose descriptions, and example values, usable as a standalone cheat sheet; the tool never connects to a real DNS server, it only generates command text.
Use Cases
Diagnosing mail delivery issues via MX/SPF/DKIM
When mail delivery breaks, an ops engineer generates dig commands for MX and TXT records to confirm mail routing and SPF/DKIM setup are correct.
Verifying NS/SOA records before a DNS migration
Before switching DNS providers, generate NS and SOA lookup commands to confirm the current authoritative servers and serial number, avoiding resolution downtime during the switch.
Verifying a CAA record after locking down certificate issuance
After configuring a CAA record to restrict which CAs can issue certificates, a security engineer generates a dig CAA command to confirm the record has propagated correctly.
Learning the syntax differences between DNS tools
An engineer unfamiliar with dig/nslookup/host argument differences uses the 'Show All' option to compare all three tools' syntax for the same query side by side.
FAQ
Can this tool directly show me a domain's DNS record results?
No. It only generates dig/nslookup/host command text and online tool links in the browser — it never actually connects to a DNS server. Copy the generated command into your own terminal, or click an online tool link, to see real results.
What are the links under the "online tool" option?
They're direct links to three third-party online DNS lookup sites — Google Admin Toolbox Dig, DNSdumpster, and DNSChecker. Clicking them takes you to those sites to run the actual query; they are not results from this tool itself.
Why generate three different commands — dig, nslookup, host?
They're the common DNS query tools on different platforms: dig and host are mainly used on Linux/macOS and give more detailed output, while nslookup ships with Windows, macOS, and Linux alike as a cross-platform default. The tool lets you pick whichever matches your OS habits.
Which DNS record types are supported?
16 common and advanced types: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SOA, PTR, SRV, CAA, CERT, DNSKEY, DS, NAPTR, SSHFP, TLSA — covering everything from basic resolution to DNSSEC, mail security, and SSH fingerprint verification.
Can the generated command target a specific DNS server?
Yes — both the dig and nslookup output include an extra example querying @8.8.8.8 (Google Public DNS), useful for comparing results across resolvers when debugging caching or propagation issues.