---
name: "avahi-daemon"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "avahi"
version: "1:0.9rc5-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/avahi-daemon"
---

# avahi-daemon(8)

The Avahi mDNS/DNS-SD daemon

## NAME

avahi-daemon - The Avahi mDNS/DNS-SD daemon

## SYNOPSIS

**avahi-daemon \[***options***\]**

**avahi-daemon --kill**

**avahi-daemon --reload**

**avahi-daemon --check**

## DESCRIPTION

The Avahi mDNS/DNS-SD daemon implements Apple's Zeroconf architecture (also known as "Rendezvous" or "Bonjour"). The daemon registers local IP addresses and static services using mDNS/DNS-SD and provides two IPC APIs for local programs to make use of the mDNS record cache the avahi-daemon maintains. First there is the so called "simple protocol" which is used exclusively by avahi-dnsconfd (a daemon which configures unicast DNS servers using server info published via mDNS) and nss-mdns (a libc NSS plugin, providing name resolution via mDNS). Finally there is the D-Bus interface which provides a rich object oriented interface to D-Bus enabled applications.

Upon startup avahi-daemon interprets its configuration file */etc/avahi/avahi-daemon.conf* and reads XML fragments from */etc/avahi/services/\*.service* which may define static DNS-SD services. If you enable **publish-resolv-conf-dns-servers** in *avahi-daemon.conf* the file */etc/resolv.conf* will be read, too.

## OPTIONS

- **-f \| --file=** *FILE*

  Specify the configuration file to read. (default: /etc/avahi/avahi-daemon.conf)

- **-D \| --daemonize**

  Daemonize after startup. Implies **--syslog**.

- **-s \| --syslog**

  Log to syslog instead of STDERR. Implied by **--daemonize**.

- **--debug**

  Increase verbosity to debug level.

- **--no-rlimits**

  Don't enforce resource limits as specified in the configuration file. (See **[setrlimit(2)](/setrlimit/2.md)** for more information)

- **--no-drop-root**

  Don't drop root privileges after startup and don't require daemon to be started as root. We recommend not to use this option.

- **--no-chroot**

  Don't **[chroot(2)](/chroot/2.md)** the daemon. This option is only available when compiled with chroot() support.

- **--no-proc-title**

  Don't change the process name while running. Unless this option is specified avahi-daemon will reflect its current state and the selected host name in the process title.

- **-k \| --kill**

  Kill an already running avahi-daemon. (equivalent to sending a SIGTERM)

- **-r \| --reload**

  Tell an already running avahi-daemon to reread */etc/resolv.conf* (in case you enabled **publish-resolv-conf-dns-servers** in *avahi-daemon.conf*) and the files from */etc/avahi/services/*. Please note that this will not reload the */etc/avahi/avahi-daemon.conf*. (equivalent to sending a SIGHUP)

- **-c \| --check**

  Return 0 as return code when avahi-daemon is already running.

- **-h \| --help**

  Show help

- **-v \| --version**

  Show version information

## FILES

*/etc/avahi/avahi-daemon.conf*: the default configuration file for avahi-daemon, see **[avahi-daemon.conf(5)](/avahi-daemon.conf/5.md)** for more information.

*/etc/avahi/hosts*: additional static hostname mappings to publish in mDNS, see **[avahi.hosts(5)](/avahi.hosts/5.md)** for more information.

*/etc/avahi/services/\*.service*: static service definitions, see **[avahi.service(5)](/avahi.service/5.md)** for more information.

## SIGNALS

*SIGINT, SIGTERM*: avahi-daemon will shutdown. (Same as **--kill**).

*SIGHUP*: avahi-daemon will reload unicast DNS server data from */etc/resolv.conf* and static service definitions from */etc/avahi/services/*. (Same as **--reload**)

*SIGUSR1*: avahi-daemon will dump local and remote cached resource record data to syslog.

## AUTHORS

The Avahi Developers \<avahi (at) lists (dot) freedesktop (dot) org\>; Avahi is available from **http://avahi.org/**

## SEE ALSO

**[avahi-daemon.conf(5)](/avahi-daemon.conf/5.md)**, **[avahi.hosts(5)](/avahi.hosts/5.md)**, **[avahi.service(5)](/avahi.service/5.md)**, **[avahi-dnsconfd(8)](/avahi-dnsconfd/8.md)**, **[avahi-set-host-name(1)](/avahi-set-host-name/1.md)**

http://avahi.org/wiki/AvahiAndUnicastDotLocal documents the problems when using Avahi in a unicast DNS zone .local.

## COMMENTS

This man page was written using **xml2man(1)** by Oliver Kurth.