q ☆

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Description:
Tiny command-line DNS client with support for UDP, TCP, DoT, DoH, DoQ and ODoH

Type: Formula | Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Networking

Tags: dns networking cli devops security

Install: brew install q

About:
Q is a versatile command-line DNS client designed for network diagnostics and queries. It supports a wide range of protocols including traditional UDP/TCP, secure options like DNS-over-TLS (DoT) and DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH), and newer standards such as DNS-over-QUIC (DoQ) and Oblivious DNS (ODoH). Its primary value is providing a single, dependency-free tool for comprehensive DNS testing and lookups across diverse network environments.

Key Features:

Supports UDP, TCP, DoT, DoH, DoQ, and ODoH protocols
Zero-dependency binary for easy deployment
Advanced query features like AXFR zone transfers and multiple output formats
Cross-platform support including Linux, macOS, and Windows

Use Cases:

Debugging DNS resolution issues across different protocol stacks
Performing secure DNS queries on networks with restrictive firewalls
Automating DNS record checks and zone transfers in scripts

Alternatives:

dig – Standard BIND tool; Q provides more modern secure protocols out-of-the-box
dog – Similar modern alternative written in Rust; Q offers broader protocol support including ODoH

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Dec 30, 2022 3:04pm		0	VERSION_BUMP	ecb300f8