What causes different DNS results on Linux?

Layers: nsswitch.conf orders files, mDNS, DNS. Tools like dig skip NSS.

How do I debug Linux hostname resolution?

Use getent hosts , strace getaddrinfo, check /etc/nsswitch.conf and caches.

It adds a cache layer at 127.0.0.53 — flushes needed, but configs vary by distro.

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Hostname lookups on Linux aren't a straight DNS shot. They're a bureaucratic chain of checks that trips up even pros.

DevTools Feed Apr 03, 2026 3 min read

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#debugging #linux-dns #name-resolution #nsswitch.conf #systemd-resolved

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