DNS Propagation Checker

A powerful Apify Actor that checks DNS propagation across multiple global DNS servers to verify if your DNS changes have propagated worldwide.

What it does

This actor queries multiple authoritative DNS servers across different regions to check if your DNS records have propagated globally. It's essential for:

• Domain migrations: Verify DNS changes have propagated before switching traffic
• DNS troubleshooting: Identify which regions or servers haven't updated yet
• Change validation: Confirm DNS modifications are working as expected
• Monitoring: Regular checks to ensure DNS consistency across providers

Features

• ✅ Queries 10+ global DNS servers across multiple regions
• ✅ Supports all major DNS record types (A, AAAA, MX, CNAME, TXT, NS, SOA, PTR)
• ✅ Built-in timeout handling and error recovery
• ✅ Response time measurements for performance insights
• ✅ Batch processing for multiple domains
• ✅ Clear propagation status reporting
• ✅ No external dependencies - uses Node.js built-in DNS module

DNS Servers Queried

The actor queries these authoritative DNS servers:

Provider	IP Address	Region
Google	8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4	Global
Cloudflare	1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1	Global
OpenDNS	208.67.222.222	North America
Quad9	9.9.9.9	Global
Level3	4.2.2.1	North America
Verisign	64.6.64.6	North America
AdGuard	94.140.14.14	Europe
CleanBrowsing	185.228.168.9	Europe

Input

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

Parameters

• domains (required): Array of domain names to check
• recordTypes (optional): DNS record types to query. Default: ["A"]
  • Supported: A, AAAA, MX, CNAME, TXT, NS, SOA, PTR
• timeout (optional): Query timeout in milliseconds. Default: 5000ms

Output

Each result contains:

{
  "domain": "example.com",
  "recordType": "A", 
  "propagated": true,
  "checkedAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00.000Z",
  "servers": [
    {
      "name": "Google Primary",
      "ip": "8.8.8.8",
      "region": "Global",
      "result": ["93.184.216.34"],
      "responseTimeMs": 45
    }
  ]
}

Output Fields

• domain: The domain that was checked
• recordType: Type of DNS record queried
• propagated: Boolean indicating if all servers returned identical results
• checkedAt: ISO timestamp when the check was performed
• servers: Array of individual server responses with timing data

Use Cases

Website Launch

Check if your new website's DNS has propagated before going live.

Email Setup

Verify MX records have propagated when configuring email services.

CDN Configuration

Confirm CNAME records are active across all regions.

Domain Transfer

Monitor DNS propagation during domain registrar transfers.

SSL Certificate Issues

Debug SSL problems by checking if DNS changes have propagated.

Best Practices

1. Wait Time: DNS propagation typically takes 24-72 hours
2. Multiple Checks: Run periodic checks rather than continuous monitoring
3. Record Types: Check all relevant record types for your setup
4. Regional Variations: Pay attention to regional differences in results

Pricing

This actor uses synthetic events for cost-effective operation:

• Actor startup cost
• Per-result dataset item cost

Set ACTOR_MAX_TOTAL_CHARGE_USD to control maximum spending.

Technical Details

• Built with TypeScript and Apify SDK v3
• Uses Node.js built-in DNS resolver for reliability
• Handles timeouts and network errors gracefully
• Parallel queries for optimal performance
• Consistent result sorting for accurate comparison

Support

For issues, feature requests, or questions about this actor, please contact the maintainer.