---
name: "khost"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "knot"
version: "3.6.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/khost"
---

# khost(1)

Simple DNS lookup utility

## NAME

khost - Simple DNS lookup utility

## SYNOPSIS

**khost** \[*options*\] *name* \[*server*\]

## DESCRIPTION

This utility sends a DNS query for the *name* to the *server* and prints a reply in more user-readable form. For more advanced DNS queries use kdig \<\> instead.

### Parameters

- ***name***

  Is a domain name that is to be looked up. If the *name* is IPv4 or IPv6 address the PTR query type is used.

- ***server***

  Is a name or an address of the nameserver to send a query to.  The address can be specified using \[address\]:port notation. If no server is specified, the servers from **/etc/resolv.conf** are used.

If no arguments are provided, **khost** prints a short help.

### Options

- **-4**

  Use the IPv4 protocol only.

- **-6**

  Use the IPv6 protocol only.

- **-a**

  Send ANY query with verbose mode.

- **-d**

  Enable debug messages.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Print the program help.

- **-r**

  Disable recursion.

- **-T**

  Use the TCP protocol.

- **-v**

  Enable verbose output.

- **-V**, **--version**

  Print the program version. The option **-VV** makes the program print the compile time configuration summary.

- **-w**

  Wait forever for the reply.

- **-c** *class*

  Set the query class (e.g. CH, CLASS4). The default class is IN.

- **-t** *type*

  Set the query type (e.g. NS, IXFR=12345, TYPE65535). The default is to send 3 queries (A, AAAA and MX).

- **-R** *retries*

  The number (\>=0) of UDP retries to query a nameserver. The default is 1.

- **-W** *wait*

  The time to wait for a reply in seconds. This timeout applies to each query try. The default is 2 seconds.

## EXIT VALUES

Exit status of 0 means successful operation. Any other exit status indicates an error.

## EXAMPLES

- 1\.

  Get the A, AAAA and MX records for example.com:

  ```
  $ khost example.com
  ```

- 2\.

  Get the reverse record for address 192.0.2.1:

  ```
  $ khost 192.0.2.1
  ```

- 3\.

  Perform a verbose zone transfer for zone example.com:

  ```
  $ khost -t AXFR -v example.com
  ```

## FILES

**/etc/resolv.conf**

## SEE ALSO

**[kdig(1)](/kdig/1.md)**, **[knsupdate(1)](/knsupdate/1.md)**.

## Author

CZ.NIC, z.s.p.o. and contributors \<https://www.knot-dns.cz/\>

## Copyright

Copyright (C) CZ.NIC, z.s.p.o. and contributors