---
name: "named-checkconf"
section: "8"
platform: "macos"
package: "bind9"
version: "65"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/named-checkconf/8"
---

# named-checkconf(8)

named configuration file syntax checking tool

## NAME

named-checkconf - named configuration file syntax checking tool

## SYNOPSIS

**named-checkconf** \[**-hjvz**\] \[**-p** \[**-x** \]\] \[**-t** *directory*\] {filename}

## DESCRIPTION

**named-checkconf** checks the syntax, but not the semantics, of a **named** configuration file. The file is parsed and checked for syntax errors, along with all files included by it. If no file is specified, /etc/named.conf is read by default.

Note: files that **named** reads in separate parser contexts, such as rndc.key and bind.keys, are not automatically read by **named-checkconf**. Configuration errors in these files may cause **named** to fail to run, even if **named-checkconf** was successful. **named-checkconf** can be run on these files explicitly, however.

## OPTIONS

- \-h

  Print the usage summary and exit.

- \-j

  When loading a zonefile read the journal if it exists.

- \-p

  Print out the named.conf and included files in canonical form if no errors were detected. See also the **-x** option.

- \-t *directory*

  Chroot to directory so that include directives in the configuration file are processed as if run by a similarly chrooted **named**.

- \-v

  Print the version of the **named-checkconf** program and exit.

- \-x

  When printing the configuration files in canonical form, obscure shared secrets by replacing them with strings of question marks ('?'). This allows the contents of named.conf and related files to be shared — for example, when submitting bug reports — without compromising private data. This option cannot be used without **-p**.

- \-z

  Perform a test load of all master zones found in named.conf.

filename

The name of the configuration file to be checked. If not specified, it defaults to /etc/named.conf.

## RETURN VALUES

**named-checkconf** returns an exit status of 1 if errors were detected and 0 otherwise.

## SEE ALSO

[**named**(8)](/named/8.md), [**named-checkzone**(8)](/named-checkzone/8.md), BIND 9 Administrator Reference Manual.

## AUTHOR

**Internet Systems Consortium, Inc.**

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2014-2016 Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")\
 Copyright © 2000-2002 Internet Software Consortium.\