Technitium DNS Server | An Open Source DNS Server For Privacy & Security | WarmIndex

Technitium DNS Server is an open source authoritative as well as recursive DNS server that can be used for self hosting a DNS server for privacy & security.

🚀 Overview

Technitium DNS Server is a powerful, cross-platform DNS solution that enables users to self-host their own DNS infrastructure for complete control over domain name resolution. It supports both authoritative (hosting your own zones) and recursive (resolving external queries) modes, with features like ad and malware blocking, encrypted DNS protocols, and high-performance caching to enhance privacy, security, and network speed.

The project solves key issues with public or ISP DNS resolvers, such as privacy invasion through query logging, forced redirections, content injection, and vulnerability to attacks. By running locally, it blocks trackers at the DNS level, provides detailed logs and stats, and uses protocols like DNS-over-TLS, DoH, and DoQ for secure forwarding.

It's built for self-hosters, homelab enthusiasts, home users, small businesses, and organizations seeking a free, open-source alternative to commercial DNS services like Pi-hole or BIND. Created by Technitium Software to push the boundaries of self-hosted networking tools, offering enterprise-grade features in an easy-to-deploy package.

✨ Key Features

Ad and malware blocking using auto-updating blocklists, with support for regex-based lists and client-specific rules
Encrypted DNS support: DNS-over-TLS, DNS-over-HTTPS (HTTP/1.1/2/3), DNS-over-QUIC, plus proxy integration (Tor, Cloudflare)
High-performance async IO engine handling over 100k queries/sec, advanced caching (prefetch, serve-stale, persistent), and DNSSEC validation
Web-based admin console with multi-user RBAC, 2FA, API access, clustering for multi-node management, and built-in DHCP server
Optional: DNS Apps for custom logic (e.g., geolocation, split-horizon), Catalog Zones, and upcoming enhancements via community contributions

🛠 Tech Stack

Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript (modern web console with dark mode)
Backend: .NET 9 (C#)
Database: File-based configuration and persistent cache (no external DB required)
Auth: Built-in multi-user RBAC, TOTP 2FA, API tokens
Hosting: Self-hosted (Windows/Linux/macOS/Raspberry Pi), Docker (technitium/dns-server)

👥 Who Is This For?

This project is useful for:

Home users who want to block ads/trackers network-wide and improve privacy
Sysadmins and self-hosters managing internal domains and recursive resolution
Homelab builders and small teams seeking a full-featured DNS solution without vendor lock-in

📸 Screenshots / Demo

Live demo: No public demo (self-hosted; quick install via Docker)
GitHub: https://github.com/TechnitiumSoftware/DnsServer

🔥 Project Status

🟢 Actively building

Last updated: 2026-03-24

❓ FAQ

Is this project free?

Yes — Open Source (GNU GPLv3). (100% free for personal/commercial use, donations appreciated.)

Is the source code available?

Yes — https://github.com/TechnitiumSoftware/DnsServer

Can I contribute?

Yes — Report bugs or request features via GitHub issues. Submit PRs following build instructions in repo. Provide feedback via email or Reddit (/r/technitium). Sponsor via Patreon.