---
name: "named-journalprint"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "bind"
version: "9.20.30-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/named-journalprint"
---

# named-journalprint(1)

print zone journal in human-readable form

## NAME

named-journalprint - print zone journal in human-readable form

## SYNOPSIS

**named-journalprint** \[-c serial\] \[**-dux**\] {journal}

## DESCRIPTION

**named-journalprint** scans the contents of a zone journal file, printing it in a human-readable form, or, optionally, converting it to a different journal file format.

Journal files are automatically created by **named** \<#std-iscman-named\> when changes are made to dynamic zones (e.g., by **nsupdate** \<#std-iscman-nsupdate\>). They record each addition or deletion of a resource record, in binary format, allowing the changes to be re-applied to the zone when the server is restarted after a shutdown or crash. By default, the name of the journal file is formed by appending the extension **.jnl** to the name of the corresponding zone file.

**named-journalprint** converts the contents of a given journal file into a human-readable text format. Each line begins with **add** or **del**, to indicate whether the record was added or deleted, and continues with the resource record in master-file format.

The **-c** (compact) option provides a mechanism to reduce the size of a journal by removing (most/all) transactions prior to the specified serial number. Note: this option *must not* be used while **named** \<#std-iscman-named\> is running, and can cause data loss if the zone file has not been updated to contain the data being removed from the journal. Use with extreme caution.

The **-x** option causes additional data about the journal file to be printed at the beginning of the output and before each group of changes.

The **-u** (upgrade) and **-d** (downgrade) options recreate the journal file with a modified format version.  The existing journal file is replaced.  **-d** writes out the journal in the format used by versions of BIND up to 9.16.11; **-u** writes it out in the format used by versions since 9.16.13. (9.16.12 is omitted due to a journal-formatting bug in that release.) Note that these options *must not* be used while **named** \<#std-iscman-named\> is running.

## SEE ALSO

**[named(8)](/named/8.md)** \<#std-iscman-named\>, **[nsupdate(1)](/nsupdate/1.md)** \<#std-iscman-nsupdate\>, BIND 9 Administrator Reference Manual.

## Author

Internet Systems Consortium

## Copyright

2026, Internet Systems Consortium