The latest articles on DEV Community by Safal Bhattarai (@coder-safal). https://dev.to/coder-safal https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3112491%2Fbdc68e36-d277-4270-a3c5-c19903276f3f.jpg https://dev.to/coder-safal en Safal Bhattarai Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:44:54 +0000 https://dev.to/coder-safal/linux-dig-command-5-examples-every-developer-should-know-3bo9 https://dev.to/coder-safal/linux-dig-command-5-examples-every-developer-should-know-3bo9 <p>The <code>dig</code> (Domain Information Groper) command helps developers check DNS records and troubleshoot domain resolution on Linux. It is one of the first tools to reach for when a domain isn't behaving the way you expect.</p> <h2> 1. Install dig </h2> <p>On Debian/Ubuntu-based systems, <code>dig</code> ships in the <code>dnsutils</code> package:<br> </p> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight shell"><code><span class="nb">sudo </span>apt update <span class="nb">sudo </span>apt <span class="nb">install </span>dnsutils </code></pre> </div> <h2> 2. Find a Domain's IP Address </h2> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight shell"><code>dig safal.me +short </code></pre> </div> <p>The <code>+short</code> flag trims the output down to just the IP addresses found in the DNS response.</p> <h2> 3. Check DNS Records </h2> <p>Pass a record type after the domain name:<br> </p> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight shell"><code>dig safal.me A dig safal.me AAAA dig safal.me MX dig safal.me NS dig safal.me TXT </code></pre> </div> <div class="table-wrapper-paragraph"><table> <thead> <tr> <th>Record</th> <th>Purpose</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><code>A</code></td> <td>IPv4 address</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>AAAA</code></td> <td>IPv6 address</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>MX</code></td> <td>Mail servers</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>NS</code></td> <td>Name servers</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>TXT</code></td> <td>Text records (SPF, domain verification, etc.)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> <h2> 4. Query a Specific DNS Server </h2> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight shell"><code>dig @8.8.8.8 safal.me </code></pre> </div> <p>This sends the query to Google's public DNS resolver instead of your system default, which is handy for checking whether a problem is local to your resolver.</p> <h2> 5. Trace DNS Resolution </h2> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight shell"><code>dig safal.me +trace </code></pre> </div> <p>This shows the delegation process step by step, from the root servers down to the domain's authoritative name servers.</p> <h2> Conclusion </h2> <p>The <code>dig</code> command is a useful tool for developers and DevOps engineers troubleshooting DNS issues. Once you know these few flags, most DNS debugging becomes quick and predictable.</p> <p><strong>Next:</strong> Linux <code>nslookup</code> Command: Simple Examples.</p> <h2> About Me </h2> <p>I'm <strong>Safal Bhattarai</strong>, a Tech Lead, Full Stack Developer, and DevOps Engineer.</p> <p>🌐 <a href="https://safal.me" rel="noopener noreferrer">Website</a> <a href="https://github.com/Coder-safal" rel="noopener noreferrer">GitHub</a></p> linux devops dns networking