# Global DNS Propagation Checker (`andok/dns-propagation-checker`) Actor

Check DNS record resolution across global nameservers instantly. Monitor domain migrations and TTL updates in real-time.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/andok/dns-propagation-checker.md
- **Developed by:** [Andok](https://apify.com/andok) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Automation
- **Stats:** 3 total users, 0 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.47 / 1,000 domain checks

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## DNS Propagation Checker

Verify DNS propagation across 10+ global resolvers for any domain and record type. During migrations and DNS changes, inconsistent records across providers cause downtime, email failures, and SSL issues that are hard to diagnose without multi-resolver visibility. Run scheduled checks from the cloud with no infrastructure to maintain.

### Features

- **Global resolver coverage** — queries Google, Cloudflare, OpenDNS, Quad9, and 6 more resolvers across North America and Europe
- **All major record types** — supports A, AAAA, MX, CNAME, TXT, NS, SOA, and PTR lookups
- **Propagation status** — compares results across all resolvers and flags inconsistencies automatically
- **Response time tracking** — measures query latency per resolver for performance insights
- **Bulk domain processing** — check hundreds of domains in a single run
- **Configurable timeouts** — adjust query timeout to handle slow or unresponsive resolvers
- **Zero dependencies** — uses Node.js built-in DNS module for maximum reliability

### Input

| Field | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|-------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `domains` | `array` | Yes | `["google.com"]` | List of domain names to check DNS propagation for |
| `recordTypes` | `array` | No | `["A"]` | DNS record types to query (A, AAAA, MX, CNAME, TXT, NS, SOA, PTR) |
| `timeout` | `integer` | No | `5000` | Query timeout in milliseconds. Increase for slow resolvers |

#### Input Example

```json
{
  "domains": ["example.com", "staging.example.com"],
  "recordTypes": ["A", "MX", "TXT"],
  "timeout": 5000
}
```

### Output

Each domain and record type combination produces one dataset item with propagation status and per-resolver results.

Key fields:

- `domain` (`string`) — the domain that was checked
- `recordType` (`string`) — the DNS record type queried
- `propagated` (`boolean`) — whether all resolvers returned identical results
- `checkedAt` (`string`) — ISO 8601 timestamp of the check
- `servers` (`array`) — individual resolver responses with name, IP, region, result, response time, and errors

#### Output Example

```json
{
  "domain": "example.com",
  "recordType": "A",
  "propagated": true,
  "checkedAt": "2025-03-09T14:30:00.000Z",
  "servers": [
    {
      "name": "Google Primary",
      "ip": "8.8.8.8",
      "region": "Global",
      "result": ["93.184.216.34"],
      "responseTimeMs": 42
    },
    {
      "name": "Cloudflare Primary",
      "ip": "1.1.1.1",
      "region": "Global",
      "result": ["93.184.216.34"],
      "responseTimeMs": 18
    },
    {
      "name": "Quad9",
      "ip": "9.9.9.9",
      "region": "Global",
      "result": ["93.184.216.34"],
      "responseTimeMs": 35
    }
  ]
}
```

### Pricing

| Event | Cost |
|-------|------|
| Domain Check | Included in platform usage |

Free to use — you pay only for Apify platform compute time.

### Use Cases

- **Domain migration monitoring** — verify DNS changes have propagated globally before cutting over traffic
- **Email infrastructure setup** — confirm MX and TXT records are consistent across resolvers after configuring new email providers
- **CDN rollout validation** — check that CNAME records are live in all regions before directing production traffic
- **Scheduled health checks** — run daily or weekly to catch DNS drift, hijacking, or misconfiguration early
- **Multi-domain portfolio management** — audit DNS consistency across hundreds of client domains in one run

### Related Actors

| Actor | What it adds |
|-------|-------------|
| [SSL Certificate Monitor](https://apify.com/andok/ssl-certificate-monitor) | Check SSL expiry and security grades after confirming DNS is propagated |
| [Subdomain Finder](https://apify.com/andok/subdomain-finder) | Discover all subdomains to feed into DNS propagation checks |
| [DMARC / SPF / DKIM Validator](https://apify.com/andok/dmarc-spf-dkim-validator) | Validate email authentication records alongside DNS propagation |

# Actor input Schema

## `domains` (type: `array`):

List of domain names to check DNS propagation for. Each domain is queried against 10+ global resolvers to verify consistency.

## `recordTypes` (type: `array`):

DNS record types to query for each domain. Select multiple types to check propagation of A, MX, TXT, and other records in one run.

## `timeout` (type: `integer`):

Maximum time in milliseconds to wait for each DNS resolver to respond. Increase for slow or distant resolvers.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "domains": [
    "google.com"
  ],
  "recordTypes": [
    "A"
  ],
  "timeout": 5000
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "domains": [
        "google.com"
    ],
    "recordTypes": [
        "A"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("andok/dns-propagation-checker").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "domains": ["google.com"],
    "recordTypes": ["A"],
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("andok/dns-propagation-checker").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "domains": [
    "google.com"
  ],
  "recordTypes": [
    "A"
  ]
}' |
apify call andok/dns-propagation-checker --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,andok/dns-propagation-checker"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/j22Z0r5oHKfqTGFEd/builds/tIP0TCGcf4g1vwfOM/openapi.json