---
name: "dbus-test-tool"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "dbus"
version: "1.16.2-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dbus-test-tool"
---

# dbus-test-tool(1)

D-Bus traffic generator and test tool

## NAME

dbus-test-tool - D-Bus traffic generator and test tool

## SYNOPSIS

**dbus-test-tool** black-hole \[--session \| --system\] \[--name=*NAME*\] \[--no-read\]

**dbus-test-tool** echo \[--session \| --system\] \[--name=*NAME*\] \[--sleep-ms=*MS*\]

**dbus-test-tool** spam \[--session \| --system\] \[--dest=*NAME*\] \[--count=*N*\] \[--flood\] \[--ignore-errors\] \[--messages-per-conn=*N*\] \[--no-reply\] \[--queue=*N*\] \[--seed=*SEED*\] \[--string \| --bytes \| --empty\] \[--payload=*S* \| --stdin \| --message-stdin \| --random-size\]

## DESCRIPTION

**dbus-test-tool** is a multi-purpose tool for debugging and profiling D-Bus.

**dbus-test-tool black-hole** connects to D-Bus, optionally requests a name, then does not reply to messages. It normally reads and discards messages from its D-Bus socket, but can be configured to sleep forever without reading.

**dbus-test-tool echo** connects to D-Bus, optionally requests a name, then sends back an empty reply to every method call, after an optional delay.

**dbus-test-tool spam** connects to D-Bus and makes repeated method calls, normally named com.example.Spam.

## OPTIONS

### Common options

- **--session**

  Connect to the session bus. This is the default.

- **--system**

  Connect to the system bus.

### black-hole mode

- **--name=***NAME*

  Before proceeding, request ownership of the well-known bus name *NAME*, for example com.example.NoReply. By default, no name is requested, and the tool can only be addressed by a unique bus name such as :1.23.

- **--no-read**

  Do not read from the D-Bus socket.

### echo mode

- **--name=***NAME*

  Before proceeding, request ownership of the well-known bus name *NAME*, for example com.example.Echo. By default, no name is requested, and the tool can only be addressed by a unique bus name such as :1.23.

- **--sleep-ms=***MS*

  Block for *MS* milliseconds before replying to a method call.

### spam mode

- **--dest=***NAME*

  Send method calls to the well-known or unique bus name *NAME*. The default is the dbus-daemon, org.freedesktop.DBus.

- **--count=***N*

  Send *N* method calls in total. The default is 1.

- **--queue=***N*

  Send *N* method calls before waiting for any replies, then send one new call per reply received, keeping *N* method calls "in flight" at all times until the number of messages specified with the **--count** option have been sent. The default is 1, unless **--flood** is used.

- **--flood**

  Send all messages without waiting for a reply, equivalent to **--queue** with an arbitrarily large *N*.

- **--no-reply**

  Set the "no reply desired" flag on the messages. This implies **--flood**, since it disables the replies that would be used for a finite **--queue** length.

- **--messages-per-conn=***N*

  If given, send *N* method calls on the same connection, then disconnect and reconnect. The default is to use the same connection for all method calls.

- **--string**

  The payload of each message is a UTF-8 string. This is the default. The actual string used is given by the **--payload** or **--stdin** option, defaulting to "hello, world!".

- **--bytes**

  The payload of each message is a byte-array. The actual bytes used are given by the **--payload** or **--stdin** option, defaulting to the ASCII encoding of "hello, world!".

- **--empty**

  The messages have no payload.

- **--payload=***S*

  Use *S* as the **--string** or **--bytes** in the messages. The default is "hello, world!".

- **--stdin**

  Read from standard input until end-of-file is reached, and use that as the **--string** or **--bytes** in the messages.

- **--message-stdin**

  Read a complete binary D-Bus method call message from standard input, and use that for each method call.

- **--random-size**

  Read whitespace-separated ASCII decimal numbers from standard input, choose one at random for each message, and send a message whose payload is a string of that length.

- **--seed=***SEED*

  Use *SEED* as the seed for the pseudorandom number generator, to have somewhat repeatable sequences of random messages.

## BUGS

Please send bug reports to the D-Bus bug tracker or mailing list. See **https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/dbus/**.

## AUTHOR

See **https://dbus.freedesktop.org/doc/AUTHORS**

## SEE ALSO

[**dbus-send**(1)](/dbus-send/1.md)

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2015 Collabora Ltd.\

This man page is distributed under the same terms as dbus-test-tool (GPL-2+). There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.