difference dig and nslookup

[peac3]

Hi guys,

I found this two commands have not much difference to find domain ip address and name, so just wondering what exactly the difference and when we are using it.

[master@au.com ~]$ nslookup localhost
Server:		192.168.1.254
Address:	192.168.1.254#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:	localhost
Address: 127.0.0.1

[master@au.com ~]$ dig localhost

; <<>> DiG 9.5.1-P2-RedHat-9.5.1-2.P2.fc10 <<>> localhost
;; global options:  printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 3616
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;localhost.			IN	A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
localhost.		0	IN	A	127.0.0.1

;; Query time: 17 msec
;; SERVER: 192.168.1.254#53(192.168.1.254)
;; WHEN: Thu May  7 19:41:49 2009
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 43

thanks guys

 

[elgrandeperro]

nslookup is the "old" way of querying dns, and dig is the "new" way. Dig has better output, better command line syntax. nslookup has an interactive mode that can be useful.

 

[Annihilannic]

There is a third command too, host localhost, which has very simple output useful for scripting.

Annihilannic.