Repolode
Submit
TechnitiumSoftware

TechnitiumSoftware/DnsServer

Open source authoritative and recursive DNS server with a web console, ad and malware blocking, and encrypted DNS support.

Open-source alternative to:NextDNS

View on GitHubWebsite
Stars
10,204
Forks
810
Open issues
165
Last commit
7 days ago

What is it?

Technitium DNS Server is a self-hosted DNS server that can act as both an authoritative server for your own domains and a recursive resolver for client queries. It runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Raspberry Pi, and in Docker, and is configured through a web console in any modern browser.

Running a local DNS server lets a network block ads and malware by domain using one or more block list URLs, and keeps DNS logs and statistics for visibility into traffic. Upstream queries can be forwarded over DNS-over-TLS, DNS-over-HTTPS, or DNS-over-QUIC, so your ISP cannot see plain DNS lookups. The server also hosts those encrypted protocols itself for devices on your network.

The project covers a broad set of DNS features, including DNSSEC validation and signing, zone transfers with AXFR, IXFR, and TSIG, dynamic updates, clustering across multiple instances, and a built-in DHCP server. It exposes an HTTP API that the web console itself uses, so the same actions can be scripted.

Key features

  • 01Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Raspberry Pi, and Docker with a web console.
  • 02Blocks ads and malware using block list URLs, including CNAME cloaking detection.
  • 03Forwards and hosts DNS-over-TLS, DNS-over-HTTPS, and DNS-over-QUIC.
  • 04Supports DNSSEC validation and signed zones with NSEC and NSEC3.
  • 05Works as both an authoritative and recursive DNS server.
  • 06Includes clustering, LDAP and OIDC single sign-on, and TOTP two-factor authentication.

Use cases

  • Blocking ads and trackers for an entire home or office network.
  • Encrypting DNS lookups to keep them away from an ISP's view.
  • Hosting authoritative DNS for your own domain names.
  • Managing several DNS server instances from one admin console.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Download the Windows setup installer

  2. 2

    Or pull the official Docker image from Docker Hub

  3. 3

    Or download the portable app (requires .NET 10)

Things to know

  • Licensed under GPL-3.0, a copyleft license that requires derivative works to be released under the same terms.
  • The portable cross-platform build requires .NET 10 to be installed.

In collections

Self-hosted appsPrivacy & local-first tools

Topics

#dns#self-hosted#dns-over-https#dns-over-tls#ad-blocking#privacy#dnssec#dotnet#cross-platform#dhcp-server

FAQ

What is DnsServer?
Open source authoritative and recursive DNS server with a web console, ad and malware blocking, and encrypted DNS support. Technitium DNS Server is a self-hosted DNS server that can act as both an authoritative server for your own domains and a recursive resolver for client queries. It runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Raspberry Pi, and in Docker, and is configured through a web console in any modern browser.
Is DnsServer free to use? What license does it have?
DnsServer is open source under the GPL-3.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is DnsServer still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to DnsServer was on Oct 17, 2026.
What can I use DnsServer for?
Blocking ads and trackers for an entire home or office network. Encrypting DNS lookups to keep them away from an ISP's view. Hosting authoritative DNS for your own domain names. Managing several DNS server instances from one admin console.
How do I install DnsServer?
Download the Windows setup installer Or pull the official Docker image from Docker Hub Or download the portable app (requires .NET 10)
Where can I get DnsServer?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/TechnitiumSoftware/DnsServer

Summary generated by AI from the project's README. GitHub stats refresh daily.

Related projects