A tiny and feature-rich command line DNS client with support for UDP, TCP, DoT, DoH, DoQ, and ODoH.
Publisher’s description
What is qdns?
qdns is an open-source program for Windows from Nate Sales. It is written in Go.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit and ARM64 as Portable. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 0.19.12, released on February 27, 2026. 2 versions are listed since November 9, 2025, each with links to its own installer files.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (natesales/q) has 2,535 stars.
Project description on GitHub: “A tiny command line DNS client with support for UDP, TCP, DoT, DoH, DoQ and ODoH.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Portable: runs without installation
In short: qdns is an open-source Windows tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs.
Is qdns safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
35238A11B4B2623064DBB7E61207A53E1B55619F3249F2E9B3ACD26F8DE18D14· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the natesales/q repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- No dangerous workflows10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Licence declared10
- Published packages10
- Code review4
- Actively maintained0
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Pinned dependencies0
- Security policy0
- Fuzzing0
- Branch protection0
- Signed releases0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 2 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.19.12Latest | February 27, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 0.19.11 | November 9, 2025 | — | 64-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id natesales.q -escoop install main/q-dnsProgram files (.exe): q.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Nate Sales
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/natesales/q
- Written in
- Go
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 0.19.12
- Released
- February 27, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- November 11, 2025
- Versions listed
- 2
- GitHub stars
- 2,535
- GitHub forks
- 103
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- natesales.q
- Scoop package
- main/q-dns
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Frequently asked questions
Is qdns free?
Yes. qdns is open-source software under the GPL-3.0 licence.
Is qdns safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install qdns with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does qdns run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of qdns?
The versions page lists all 2 versions with links to their official installer files, back to November 9, 2025.
Can I use qdns without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.