Fast, comprehensive DNS performance testing with DNSSEC validation, DoH/DoT support, and enterprise features
pip install dns-benchmark-tool
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults🎉 1,400+ downloads this week! Thank you to our growing community.
📢 Want multi-region testing? Join the waitlist →
Real Time Tracking
We’ve added three powerful CLI commands to make DNS benchmarking even more versatile:
-
🚀 top — quick ranking of resolvers by speed and reliability
-
📊 compare — side‑by‑side benchmarking with detailed statistics and export options
-
🔄 monitoring — continuous performance tracking with alerts and logging
# Quick resolver ranking
dns-benchmark top
# Compare resolvers side-by-side
dns-benchmark compare Cloudflare Google Quad9 --show-details
# Run monitoring for 1 hour with alerts
dns-benchmark monitoring --use-defaults --interval 30 --duration 3600 \
--alert-latency 150 --alert-failure-rate 5 --output monitor.logDNS resolution is often the hidden bottleneck in network performance. A slow resolver can add hundreds of milliseconds to every request.
- ⏱️ Hidden Bottleneck: DNS can add 300ms+ to every request
- 🤷 Unknown Performance: Most developers never test their DNS
- 🌍 Location Matters: "Fastest" resolver depends on where YOU are
- 🔒 Security Varies: DNSSEC, DoH, DoT support differs wildly
dns-benchmark-tool helps you:
- 🔍 Find the fastest DNS resolver for YOUR location
- 📊 Get real data - P95, P99, jitter, consistency scores
- 🛡️ Validate security - DNSSEC verification built-in
- 🚀 Test at scale - 100+ concurrent queries in seconds
- ✅ Developers optimizing API performance
- ✅ DevOps/SRE validating resolver SLAs
- ✅ Self-hosters comparing Pi-hole/Unbound vs public DNS
- ✅ Network admins running compliance checks
pip install dns-benchmark-tool# Test default resolvers against popular domains
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaultsResults are automatically saved to ./benchmark_results/ with:
- Summary CSV with statistics
- Detailed raw data
- Optional PDF/Excel reports
That's it! You just benchmarked 5 DNS resolvers against 10 domains.
- Async queries - Test 100+ resolvers simultaneously
- Multi-iteration - Run benchmarks multiple times for accuracy
- Statistical analysis - Mean, median, P95, P99, jitter, consistency
- Cache control - Test with/without DNS caching
- DNSSEC validation - Verify cryptographic trust chains
- DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) - Encrypted DNS benchmarking
- DNS-over-TLS (DoT) - Secure transport testing
- DNS-over-QUIC (DoQ) - Experimental QUIC support
- Multiple formats - CSV, Excel, PDF, JSON
- Visual reports - Charts and graphs
- Domain statistics - Per-domain performance analysis
- Error breakdown - Identify problematic resolvers
- TSIG authentication - Secure enterprise queries
- Zone transfers - AXFR/IXFR validation
- Dynamic updates - Test DNS write operations
- Compliance reports - Audit-ready documentation
- Linux, macOS, Windows - Works everywhere
- CI/CD friendly - JSON output, exit codes
- IDNA support - Internationalized domain names
- Auto-detection - Windows WMI DNS discovery
⚠️ These flags are documented for visibility but not yet implemented.
They represent upcoming advanced features.
--doh→ DNS-over-HTTPS benchmarking (coming soon)--dot→ DNS-over-TLS benchmarking (coming soon)--doq→ DNS-over-QUIC benchmarking (coming soon)--dnssec-validate→ DNSSEC trust chain validation (coming soon)--zone-transfer→ AXFR/IXFR zone transfer testing (coming soon)--tsig→ TSIG-authenticated queries (coming soon)--idna→ Internationalized domain name support (coming soon)
🚀 Performance & Concurrency Features
- Async I/O with dnspython - Test 100+ resolvers simultaneously
- Trio framework support - High-concurrency async operations
- Configurable concurrency - Control max concurrent queries
- Retry logic - Exponential backoff for failed queries
- Cache simulation - Test with/without DNS caching
- Multi-iteration benchmarks - Run tests multiple times for accuracy
- Warmup phase - Pre-warm DNS caches before testing
- Statistical analysis - Mean, median, P95, P99, jitter, consistency scores
Example:
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--max-concurrent 200 \
--iterations 5 \
--timeout 3.0 \
--warmup🔒 Security & Privacy Features
- DNSSEC validation - Verify cryptographic trust chains
- DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) - Encrypted DNS benchmarking via HTTPS
- DNS-over-TLS (DoT) - Secure transport layer testing
- DNS-over-QUIC (DoQ) - Experimental QUIC protocol support
- TSIG authentication - Transaction signatures for enterprise DNS
- EDNS0 support - Extended DNS features and larger payloads
Example:
# Test DoH resolvers
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--doh \
--resolvers doh-providers.json \
--dnssec-validate🏢 Enterprise & Migration Features
- Zone transfers (AXFR/IXFR) - Full and incremental zone transfer validation
- Dynamic DNS updates - Test DNS write operations and updates
- EDNS0 support - Extended DNS options, client subnet, larger payloads
- Windows WMI integration - Auto-detect active system DNS settings
- Compliance reporting - Generate audit-ready PDF/Excel reports
- SLA validation - Track uptime and performance thresholds
Example:
# Validate DNS migration
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers old-provider.json,new-provider.json \
--zone-transfer \ # coming soon
--output migration-report/ \
--formats pdf,excel📊 Analysis & Reporting Features
- Per-domain statistics - Analyze performance by domain
- Per-record-type stats - Compare A, AAAA, MX, TXT, etc.
- Error breakdown - Categorize and count error types
- Comparison matrices - Side-by-side resolver comparisons
- Trend analysis - Performance over time (with multiple runs)
- Best-by-criteria - Find best resolver by latency/reliability/consistency
Example:
# Detailed analysis
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--use-defaults \
--domain-stats \
--record-type-stats \
--error-breakdown \
--formats csv,excel,pdf🌐 Internationalization & Compatibility
- IDNA support - Internationalized domain names (IDN)
- Multiple record types - A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, SOA, PTR, SRV, CAA
- Cross-platform - Linux, macOS, Windows (native support)
- CI/CD integration - JSON output, proper exit codes, quiet mode
- Custom resolvers - Load from JSON, test your own DNS servers
- Custom domains - Test against your specific domain list
Example:
# Test internationalized domains
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--domains international-domains.txt \
--record-types A,AAAA,MX \
--resolvers custom-resolvers.json💡 Most users only need basic features. These advanced capabilities are available when you need them.
# Find fastest DNS for your API endpoints
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--domains api.myapp.com,cdn.myapp.com \
--record-types A,AAAA \
--resolvers production.json \
--iterations 10Result: Reduce API latency by 100-300ms
# Test new DNS provider before switching
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers current-dns.json,new-dns.json \
--use-defaults \
--dnssec-validate \ # coming soon
--output migration-report/ \
--formats pdf,excelResult: Verify performance and security before migration
# Compare Pi-hole against public resolvers (coming soon)
dns-benchmark compare \
--resolvers pihole.local,1.1.1.1,8.8.8.8,9.9.9.9 \
--domains common-sites.txt \
--rounds 10Result: Data-driven proof your self-hosted DNS is faster (or not!)
# Add to crontab for monthly reports
0 0 1 * * dns-benchmark benchmark \
--use-defaults \
--output /var/reports/dns/ \
--formats pdf,csv \
--domain-stats \
--error-breakdownResult: Automated compliance and SLA reporting
# Benchmark privacy-focused DoH/DoT resolvers
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--doh \ # coming soon
--resolvers privacy-resolvers.json \
--domains sensitive-sites.txt \
--dnssec-validateResult: Find fastest encrypted DNS without sacrificing privacy
- Python 3.9+
- pip package manager
pip install dns-benchmark-toolgit clone https://github.com/frankovo/dns-benchmark-tool.git
cd dns-benchmark-tool
pip install -e .dns-benchmark --version
dns-benchmark --help# Test with defaults (recommended for first time)
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults# Basic test with progress bars
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults
# Basic test without progress bars
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --quiet
# Test with custom resolvers and domains
dns-benchmark benchmark --resolvers data/resolvers.json --domains data/domains.txt
# Quick test with only CSV output
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --formats csv# Export a machine-readable bundle
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --json --output ./results
# Test specific record types
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --record-types A,AAAA,MX
# Custom output location and formats
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--use-defaults \
--output ./my-results \
--formats csv,excel,pdf,json
# Include detailed statistics
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--use-defaults \
--record-type-stats \
--error-breakdown
# High concurrency with retries
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--use-defaults \
--max-concurrent 200 \
--timeout 3.0 \
--retries 3
# Website migration planning
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers data/global_resolvers.json \
--domains data/migration_domains.txt \
--formats excel,pdf \
--output ./migration_analysis
# DNS provider selection
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers data/provider_candidates.json \
--domains data/business_domains.txt \
--formats csv,excel \
--output ./provider_selection
# Network troubleshooting
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers "192.168.1.1,1.1.1.1,8.8.8.8" \
--domains "problematic-domain.com,working-domain.com" \
--timeout 10 \
--retries 3 \
--formats csv \
--output ./troubleshooting
# Security assessment
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers data/security_resolvers.json \
--domains data/security_test_domains.txt \
--formats pdf \
--output ./security_assessment
# Performance monitoring
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--use-defaults \
--formats csv \
--quiet \
--output /var/log/dns_benchmark/$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)
# New top commands
# Run a basic benchmark (default: rank by latency)
dns-benchmark top
# → Tests all resolvers with sample domains, ranks by latency
# Limit the number of resolvers shown
dns-benchmark top --limit 5
# → Shows only the top 5 resolvers
# Rank by success rate
dns-benchmark top --metric success
# → Ranks resolvers by highest success rate
# Rank by reliability (combined score: success rate + latency)
dns-benchmark top --metric reliability
# → Uses weighted score to rank resolvers
# Filter resolvers by category
dns-benchmark top --category privacy
dns-benchmark top --category family
dns-benchmark top --category security
# → Tests only resolvers in the specified category
# Use a custom domain list
dns-benchmark top --domains domains.txt
# → Loads domains from a text file instead of built-in sample list
# Specify DNS record types
dns-benchmark top --record-types A,AAAA,MX
# → Queries multiple record types (comma-separated)
# Adjust timeout and concurrency
dns-benchmark top --timeout 3.0 --max-concurrent 50
# → Sets query timeout to 3 seconds and limits concurrency to 50
# Export results to JSON
dns-benchmark top --output results.json
# → Saves results in JSON format
# Export results to CSV
dns-benchmark top --output results.csv
# → Saves results in CSV format
# Export results to TXT
dns-benchmark top --output results.txt
# → Saves results in plain text format
# Quiet mode (no progress bar, CI/CD friendly)
dns-benchmark top --quiet
# → Suppresses progress output
# Example combined usage
dns-benchmark top --limit 10 --metric reliability --category privacy --output top_resolvers.csv
# → Benchmarks privacy resolvers, ranks by reliability, shows top 10, exports to CSV
# New compare commaands
# Comparison of resolvers by name
dns-benchmark compare Cloudflare Google Quad9
# ^ Compares Cloudflare, Google, and Quad9 resolvers using default domains and record type A
# Basic compare resolvers by IP address
dns-benchmark compare 1.1.1.1 8.8.8.8 9.9.9.9
# ^ Directly specify resolver IPs instead of names
# Increase iterations for more stable results
dns-benchmark compare "Cloudflare" "Google" --iterations 5
# ^ Runs 5 rounds of queries per resolver/domain/record type
# Use a custom domain list from file
dns-benchmark compare Cloudflare Google -d ./data/domains.txt
# ^ Loads domains from domains.txt instead of sample domains
# Query multiple record types
dns-benchmark compare Cloudflare Google -t A,AAAA,MX
# ^ Tests A, AAAA, and MX records for each domain
# Adjust timeout and concurrency
dns-benchmark compare Cloudflare Google --timeout 3.0 --max-concurrent 200
# ^ Sets query timeout to 3 seconds and allows 200 concurrent queries
# Export results to JSON
dns-benchmark compare Cloudflare Google -o results.json
# ^ Saves comparison summary to results.json
# Export results to CSV
dns-benchmark compare Cloudflare Google -o results.csv
# ^ Saves comparison summary to results.csv (via CSVExporter)
# Suppress progress output
dns-benchmark compare Cloudflare Google --quiet
# ^ Runs silently, only prints final results
# Show detailed per-domain breakdown
dns-benchmark compare Cloudflare Google --show-details
# ^ Prints average latency and success counts per domain for each resolver
# New monitoring commands
# Start monitoring with default resolvers and sample domains
dns-benchmark monitoring --use-defaults
# ^ Runs indefinitely, checking every 60s, using built-in resolvers and 5 sample domains
# Monitor with a custom resolver list from JSON
dns-benchmark monitoring -r resolvers.json --use-defaults
# ^ Loads resolvers from resolvers.json, domains from defaults
# Monitor with a custom domain list
dns-benchmark monitoring -d domains.txt --use-defaults
# ^ Uses default resolvers, but domains are loaded from domains.txt
# Change monitoring interval to 30 seconds
dns-benchmark monitoring --use-defaults --interval 30
# ^ Runs checks every 30 seconds instead of 60
# Run monitoring for a fixed duration (e.g., 1 hour = 3600 seconds)
dns-benchmark monitoring --use-defaults --duration 3600
# ^ Stops automatically after 1 hour
# Set stricter alert thresholds
dns-benchmark monitoring --use-defaults --alert-latency 150 --alert-failure-rate 5
# ^ Alerts if latency >150ms or failure rate >5%
# Save monitoring results to a log file
dns-benchmark monitoring --use-defaults --output monitor.log
# ^ Appends results and alerts to monitor.log
# Combine options: custom resolvers, domains, interval, duration, and logging
dns-benchmark monitoring -r resolvers.json -d domains.txt -i 45 --duration 1800 -o monitor.log
# ^ Monitors resolvers from resolvers.json against domains.txt every 45s, for 30 minutes, logging to monitor.log
# Run monitoring for 1 hour with alerts
dns-benchmark monitoring --use-defaults --interval 30 --duration 3600 \
--alert-latency 150 --alert-failure-rate 5 --output monitor.log
Avg Latency: N/A.
# Provide feedback
dns-benchmark feedback# Show default resolvers and domains
dns-benchmark list-defaults
# Browse all available resolvers
dns-benchmark list-resolvers
# Browse with detailed information
dns-benchmark list-resolvers --details
# Filter by category
dns-benchmark list-resolvers --category security
dns-benchmark list-resolvers --category privacy
dns-benchmark list-resolvers --category family
# Export resolvers to different formats
dns-benchmark list-resolvers --format csv
dns-benchmark list-resolvers --format json# List all test domains
dns-benchmark list-domains
# Show domains by category
dns-benchmark list-domains --category tech
dns-benchmark list-domains --category ecommerce
dns-benchmark list-domains --category social
# Limit results
dns-benchmark list-domains --count 10
dns-benchmark list-domains --category news --count 5
# Export domain list
dns-benchmark list-domains --format csv
dns-benchmark list-domains --format json# View all available categories
dns-benchmark list-categories# Generate sample configuration
dns-benchmark generate-config --output sample_config.yaml
# Category-specific configurations
dns-benchmark generate-config --category security --output security_test.yaml
dns-benchmark generate-config --category family --output family_protection.yaml
dns-benchmark generate-config --category performance --output performance_test.yaml
# Custom configuration for specific use case
dns-benchmark generate-config --category privacy --output privacy_audit.yaml# Basic test with progress bars
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults
# Quick test with only CSV output
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --formats csv --quiet
# Test specific record types
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --record-types A,AAAA,MXAdd-on analytics flags:
# Include domain and record-type analytics and error breakdown
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults \
--domain-stats --record-type-stats --error-breakdownJSON export:
# Export a machine-readable bundle
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --json --output ./results# Compare internal vs external DNS
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers "192.168.1.1,1.1.1.1,8.8.8.8,9.9.9.9" \
--domains "internal.company.com,google.com,github.com,api.service.com" \
--formats excel,pdf \
--timeout 3 \
--max-concurrent 50 \
--output ./network_audit
# Test DNS failover scenarios
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers data/primary_resolvers.json \
--domains data/business_critical_domains.txt \
--record-types A,AAAA \
--retries 3 \
--formats csv,excel \
--output ./failover_test# Comprehensive ISP resolver comparison
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers data/isp_resolvers.json \
--domains data/popular_domains.txt \
--timeout 5 \
--max-concurrent 100 \
--formats csv,excel,pdf \
--output ./isp_performance_analysis
# Regional performance testing
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers data/regional_resolvers.json \
--domains data/regional_domains.txt \
--formats excel \
--quiet \
--output ./regional_analysis# Test application dependencies
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers "1.1.1.1,8.8.8.8" \
--domains "api.github.com,registry.npmjs.org,pypi.org,docker.io,aws.amazon.com" \
--formats csv \
--quiet \
--output ./app_dependencies
# CI/CD integration test
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers data/ci_resolvers.json \
--domains data/ci_domains.txt \
--timeout 2 \
--formats csv \
--quiet# Security-focused resolver testing
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers data/security_resolvers.json \
--domains data/malware_test_domains.txt \
--formats csv,pdf \
--output ./security_audit
# Privacy-focused testing
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers data/privacy_resolvers.json \
--domains data/tracking_domains.txt \
--formats excel \
--output ./privacy_analysis# Corporate network assessment
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers data/enterprise_resolvers.json \
--domains data/corporate_domains.txt \
--record-types A,AAAA,MX,TXT,SRV \
--timeout 10 \
--max-concurrent 25 \
--retries 2 \
--formats csv,excel,pdf \
--output ./enterprise_dns_audit
# Multi-location testing
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers data/global_resolvers.json \
--domains data/international_domains.txt \
--formats excel \
--output ./global_performance| Option | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
--iterations, -i |
Run the full benchmark loop N times | dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults -i 3 |
--use-cache |
Allow cached results to be reused across iterations | dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults -i 3 --use-cache |
--warmup |
Run a full warmup (all resolvers × domains × record types) | dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --warmup |
--warmup-fast |
Run a lightweight warmup (one probe per resolver) | dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --warmup-fast |
--include-charts |
Embed charts and graphs in PDF/Excel reports for visual performance analysis | dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --formats pdf,excel --include-charts |
The DNS Benchmark Tool now includes three specialized commands for different workflows:
Quickly rank resolvers by speed and reliability.
# Rank resolvers quickly
dns-benchmark top
# Use custom domain list
dns-benchmark top -d domains.txt
# Export results to JSON
dns-benchmark top -o results.jsonBenchmark resolvers side‑by‑side with detailed statistics.
# Compare Cloudflare, Google, and Quad9
dns-benchmark compare Cloudflare Google Quad9
# Compare by IP addresses
dns-benchmark compare 1.1.1.1 8.8.8.8 9.9.9.9
# Show detailed per-domain breakdown
dns-benchmark compare Cloudflare Google --show-details
# Export results to CSV
dns-benchmark compare Cloudflare Google -o results.csvContinuously monitor resolver performance with alerts.
# Monitor default resolvers continuously (every 60s)
dns-benchmark monitoring --use-defaults
# Monitor with custom resolvers and domains
dns-benchmark monitoring -r resolvers.json -d domains.txt
# Run monitoring for 1 hour with alerts
dns-benchmark monitoring --use-defaults --interval 30 --duration 3600 \
--alert-latency 150 --alert-failure-rate 5 --output monitor.log| Command | Purpose | Typical Use Case | Key Options | Output |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| top | Quick ranking of resolvers by speed and reliability | Fast check to see which resolver is best right now | --domains, --record-types, --output |
Sorted list of resolvers with latency & success rate |
| compare | Side‑by‑side comparison of specific resolvers | Detailed benchmarking across chosen resolvers/domains | --domains, --record-types, --iterations, --output, --show-details |
Table of resolvers with latency, success rate, per‑domain breakdown |
| monitoring | Continuous monitoring with alerts | Real‑time tracking of resolver performance over time | --interval, --duration, --alert-latency, --alert-failure-rate, --output, --use-defaults |
Live status indicators, alerts, optional log file |
- Iteration count: displayed when more than one iteration is run.
- Cache hits: shows how many queries were served from cache (when
--use-cacheis enabled). - Failure tracking: resolvers with repeated errors are counted and can be inspected with
get_failed_resolvers(). - Cache statistics: available via
get_cache_stats(), showing number of cached entries and whether cache is enabled. - Warmup results: warmup queries are marked with
iteration=0in raw data, making them easy to filter out in analysis.
Example summary output:
=== BENCHMARK SUMMARY ===
Total queries: 150
Successful: 140 (93.33%)
Average latency: 212.45 ms
Median latency: 198.12 ms
Fastest resolver: Cloudflare
Slowest resolver: Quad9
Iterations: 3
Cache hits: 40 (26.7%)| Mode | Recommended Flags | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Run | --iterations 1 --timeout 1 --retries 0 --warmup-fast |
Fast feedback, minimal retries, lightweight warmup. Good for quick checks. |
| Thorough Run | --iterations 3 --use-cache --warmup --timeout 5 --retries 2 |
Multiple passes, cache enabled, full warmup. Best for detailed benchmarking. |
| Debug Mode | --iterations 1 --timeout 10 --retries 0 --quiet |
Long timeout, no retries, minimal output. Useful for diagnosing resolver issues. |
| Balanced Run | --iterations 2 --use-cache --warmup-fast --timeout 2 --retries 1 |
A middle ground: moderate speed, some retries, cache enabled, quick warmup. |
We value your input! Help us improve dns-benchmark by sharing your experience and DNS challenges.
Open the feedback form directly from CLI:
This command:
- Opens the feedback survey in your default browser
- Takes ~2 minutes to complete
- Directly shapes our roadmap and priorities
- Automatically marks feedback as given (won't prompt again)
Survey link: https://forms.gle/BJBiyBFvRJHskyR57
To avoid being intrusive, dns-benchmark uses intelligent prompting:
When prompts appear:
- After your 5th, 15th, and 30th benchmark run
- With a 24-hour cooldown between prompts
- Only if you haven't already given feedback
Auto-dismiss conditions:
- You've already submitted feedback
- You've dismissed the prompt 3 times
- You've opted out via environment variable
Example prompt:
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
📢 Quick feedback request
Help shape dns-benchmark! Share your biggest DNS challenge.
→ https://forms.gle/BJBiyBFvRJHskyR57 (2 min survey)
→ Or run: dns-benchmark feedback
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Show this again? (y/n) [y]:
What we store locally:
dns-benchmark stores feedback prompt state in ~/.dns-benchmark/feedback.json
Contents:
{
"total_runs": 15,
"feedback_given": false,
"dismissed_count": 0,
"last_shown": 1699876543,
"version": "1.0"
}Privacy notes:
- ✅ All data stored locally on your machine
- ✅ No telemetry or tracking
- ✅ No automatic data transmission
- ✅ File is only read/written during benchmark runs
- ✅ Safe to delete at any time
What we collect (only when you submit feedback):
- Whatever you choose to share in the survey
- We never collect usage data automatically
Method 1: Dismiss the prompt
When prompted, type n to dismiss:
Show this again? (y/n) [y]: n
✓ Got it! We won't ask again. Thanks for using dns-benchmark!
After 3 dismissals, prompts stop permanently.
Method 2: Environment variable (complete disable)
# Bash/Zsh
export DNS_BENCHMARK_NO_FEEDBACK=1
# Windows PowerShell
$env:DNS_BENCHMARK_NO_FEEDBACK="1"
# Permanently (add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc)
echo 'export DNS_BENCHMARK_NO_FEEDBACK=1' >> ~/.bashrcMethod 3: Delete state file
rm ~/.dns-benchmark/feedback.jsonMethod 4: CI/CD environments Feedback prompts are automatically disabled when:
CI=trueenvironment variable is set (standard in GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, etc.)--quietflag is used
Reset for testing (developers):
dns-benchmark reset-feedback # Hidden command{
"resolvers": [
{
"name": "Cloudflare",
"ip": "1.1.1.1",
"ipv6": "2606:4700:4700::1111"
},
{
"name": "Google DNS",
"ip": "8.8.8.8",
"ipv6": "2001:4860:4860::8888"
}
]
}# Popular websites
google.com
github.com
stackoverflow.com
# Corporate domains
microsoft.com
apple.com
amazon.com
# CDN and cloud
cloudflare.com
aws.amazon.com- Raw data: individual query results with timestamps and metadata
- Summary statistics: aggregated metrics per resolver
- Domain statistics: per-domain metrics (when --domain-stats)
- Record type statistics: per-record-type metrics (when --record-type-stats)
- Error breakdown: counts by error type (when --error-breakdown)
- Raw data sheet: all query results with formatting
- Resolver summary: comprehensive statistics with conditional formatting
- Domain stats: per-domain performance (optional)
- Record type stats: per-record-type performance (optional)
- Error breakdown: aggregated error counts (optional)
- Performance analysis: charts and comparative analysis
- Executive summary: key findings and recommendations
- Performance charts: latency comparison; optional success rate chart
- Resolver rankings: ordered by average latency
- Detailed analysis: technical deep‑dive with percentiles
- Machine‑readable bundle including:
- Overall statistics
- Resolver statistics
- Raw query results
- Domain statistics
- Record type statistics
- Error breakdown
dns-benchmark generate-config \
--category privacy \
--output my-config.yaml# Large-scale testing (1000+ queries)
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers data/many_resolvers.json \
--domains data/many_domains.txt \
--max-concurrent 50 \
--timeout 3 \
--quiet \
--formats csv
# Unstable networks
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers data/backup_resolvers.json \
--domains data/critical_domains.txt \
--timeout 10 \
--retries 3 \
--max-concurrent 10
# Quick diagnostics
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers "1.1.1.1,8.8.8.8" \
--domains "google.com,cloudflare.com" \
--formats csv \
--quiet \
--timeout 2# Command not found
pip install -e .
python -m dns_benchmark.cli --help
# PDF generation fails (Ubuntu/Debian)
sudo apt-get install libcairo2 libpango-1.0-0 libpangocairo-1.0-0 \
libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0 libffi-dev shared-mime-info
# Or skip PDF
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --formats csv,excel
# Network timeouts
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --timeout 10 --retries 3
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --max-concurrent 25# Verbose run
python -m dns_benchmark.cli benchmark --use-defaults --formats csv
# Minimal configuration
dns-benchmark benchmark --resolvers "1.1.1.1" --domains "google.com" --formats csv# Daily monitoring
0 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --formats csv --quiet --output /var/log/dns_benchmark/daily_$(date +\%Y\%m\%d)
# Time-based variability (every 6 hours)
0 */6 * * * /usr/local/bin/dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --formats csv --quiet --output /var/log/dns_benchmark/$(date +\%Y\%m\%d_\%H)- name: DNS Performance Test
run: |
pip install dnspython pandas click tqdm colorama
dns-benchmark benchmark \
--resolvers "1.1.1.1,8.8.8.8" \
--domains "api.service.com,database.service.com" \
--formats csv \
--quietPlace images in docs/screenshots/:
docs/screenshots/cli_run.pngdocs/screenshots/excel_report.pngdocs/screenshots/pdf_summary.pngdocs/screenshots/pdf_charts.pngdocs/screenshots/excel_charts.pngdocs/screenshots/real_time_monitoring.png
dns-benchmark --help
dns-benchmark benchmark --help
dns-benchmark list-resolvers --help
dns-benchmark list-domains --help
dns-benchmark list-categories --help
dns-benchmark generate-config --helpCommon scenarios:
# I'm new — where to start?
dns-benchmark list-defaults
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults
# Test specific resolvers
dns-benchmark list-resolvers --category security
dns-benchmark benchmark --resolvers data/security_resolvers.json --use-defaults
# Generate a management report
dns-benchmark benchmark --use-defaults --formats excel,pdf \
--domain-stats --record-type-stats --error-breakdown --json \
--output ./management_report-
Prerequisites
- GPG key configured: run
make gpg-checkto verify. - Branch protection: main requires signed commits and passing CI.
- CI publish: triggered on signed tags matching vX.Y.Z.
- GPG key configured: run
-
Prepare release (signed)
-
Tag and publish
-
Manual alternative
-
Notes
- Signed commits:
git commit -S ... - Signed tags:
git tag -s vX.Y.Z -m "Release vX.Y.Z" - Version sources:
pyproject.tomlandsrc/dns_benchmark/__init__.py
- Signed commits:
CLI stays free forever. The hosted version adds features impossible to achieve locally:
Test from US-East, US-West, EU, Asia simultaneously. See how your DNS performs for users worldwide.
Monitor DNS performance over time. Identify trends, degradation, and optimize continuously.
Get notified via Email, Slack, PagerDuty when DNS performance degrades or SLA thresholds are breached.
Share results, dashboards, and reports across your team. Role-based access control.
Automated monthly reports proving DNS provider meets SLA guarantees. Audit-ready documentation.
Integrate DNS monitoring into your existing observability stack. Prometheus, Datadog, Grafana.
Join the Waitlist → | Early access gets 50% off for 3 months
- Benchmark DNS resolvers across domains and record types
- Export to CSV, Excel, PDF, JSON
- Statistical analysis (P95, P99, jitter, consistency)
- Automation support (CI/CD, cron)
CLI stays free forever. Hosted adds:
- 🌍 Multi-region testing (US, EU, Asia, custom)
- 📊 Historical tracking with charts and trends
- 🚨 Alerts (Email, Slack, PagerDuty, webhooks)
- 👥 Team collaboration and sharing
- 📈 SLA compliance reporting
- 🔌 API access and integrations
Join Waitlist for early access
Part of BuildTools - Network Performance Suite:
- 🔍 HTTP/HTTPS Benchmark - Test API endpoints and CDNs
- 🔒 SSL Certificate Monitor - Never miss renewals
- 📡 Uptime Monitor - 24/7 availability tracking
- 🌐 API Health Dashboard - Complete network observability
Help shape our roadmap:
We love contributions! Here's how you can help:
- 🐛 Report bugs - Open an issue
- 💡 Suggest features - Start a discussion
- 📝 Improve docs - README, examples, tutorials
- 🔧 Submit PRs - Bug fixes, features, tests
- ⭐ Star the repo - Help others discover the tool
- 📢 Spread the word - Tweet, blog, share
This project includes a Makefile to simplify installation, testing, and code quality checks.
.PHONY: install install-dev uninstall mypy black isort flake8 cov test clean cli-test
# 🔧 Install package (runtime only)
install:
pip install .
# 🔧 Install package with dev extras (pytest, mypy, flake8, black, isort, etc.)
install-dev:
pip install .[dev]
# 🔧 Uninstall package
uninstall:
pip uninstall -y dns-benchmark-tool \
dnspython pandas aiohttp click pyfiglet colorama Jinja2 weasyprint openpyxl pyyaml tqdm matplotlib \
mypy black flake8 autopep8 pytest coverage isort
mypy:
mypy .
isort:
isort .
black:
black .
flake8:
flake8 src tests --ignore=E126,E501,E712,F405,F403,E266,W503 --max-line-length=88 --extend-ignore=E203
cov:
coverage erase
coverage run --source=src -m pytest -vv -s
coverage html
test: mypy black isort flake8 cov
clean:
rm -rf __pycache__ .pytest_cache htmlcov .coverage coverage.xml \
build dist *.egg-info .eggs benchmark_results
cli-test:
# Run only the CLI smoke tests marked with @pytest.mark.cli
pytest -vv -s -m cli tests/test_cli_commands.py-
Install runtime only
-
Install with dev dependencies
-
Run type checks, linting, formatting, and tests
-
Run CLI smoke tests only
-
Clean build/test artifacts
- Follow PEP 8 style guide
- Add tests for new features
- Update documentation
- Keep PRs focused and atomic
Why is my ISP's DNS not fastest?
Local ISP DNS often has caching advantages but may lack:
- Global anycast network (slower for distant domains)
- DNSSEC validation
- Privacy features (DoH/DoT)
- Reliability guarantees
Test both and decide based on YOUR priorities!
How often should I benchmark DNS?
- One-time: When choosing DNS provider
- Monthly: For network health checks
- Before migration: When switching providers
- After issues: To troubleshoot performance
Can I test my own DNS server?
Yes! Just add it to a custom resolvers JSON file:
{
"resolvers": [
{"name": "My DNS", "ip": "192.168.1.1"}
]
}What's the difference between CLI and hosted version?
CLI (Free Forever):
- Run tests from YOUR location
- Save results locally
- Manual execution
- Open source
Hosted (Coming Soon):
- Test from MULTIPLE regions
- Historical tracking
- Automated scheduling
- Alerts and integrations
Is this tool safe to use in production?
Yes! The tool only performs DNS lookups (read operations). It does NOT:
- Modify DNS records
- Perform attacks
- Send data to external servers (unless you enable hosted features)
All tests are standard DNS queries that any resolver handles daily.
Why do results vary between runs?
DNS performance varies due to:
- Network conditions
- DNS caching (resolver and intermediate)
- Server load
- Geographic routing changes
Run multiple iterations (--iterations 5) for more consistent results.
- Downloads: 1,400+ (this week)
- Active Users: 600+
This project is licensed under the MIT License — see the LICENSE file for details.





