dnsmasq

Overview

dnsmasq is a lightweight network service for small and medium-sized networks. Upstream describes it as a compact DNS and DHCP service that can also provide router advertisements and network boot support. In practice, it is commonly used where a simple local network service is needed without deploying separate DNS and DHCP daemons. (thekelleys.org.uk)

For NiceOS, this package exists so that the distribution can ship a well-known upstream implementation of local DNS/DHCP services in a form that fits RPM packaging, system integration, and distribution maintenance policies.

Purpose and typical use cases

Typical use cases include:

• local DNS caching and forwarding for small networks
• DHCP service for LANs, labs, and test environments
• router advertisement and IPv6 network setup on managed networks
• PXE or network boot support in controlled deployments
• virtualized or containerized environments that need a small internal DNS/DHCP helper

Typical users include:

• system administrators managing small office, lab, or edge-network infrastructure
• developers working with local network test setups
• CI/CD or lab maintainers who need a predictable local resolver or DHCP service
• security engineers who need a controlled local network service for testing or isolation
• desktop or workstation users who rely on local network name resolution in a managed environment

Upstream project

The upstream project is maintained at the official dnsmasq documentation site. The documentation explains the supported DNS, DHCP, router advertisement, and network boot features, and it also links to the upstream source and release information. (thekelleys.org.uk)

NiceOS maintainers should verify upstream behavior, configuration syntax, and any packaging-relevant changes directly against upstream documentation before updating this package. The authoritative command-line and configuration reference is the upstream manual page. (thekelleys.org.uk)

Dist-git repository contents

This dist-git repository is organized as follows:

• SPECS/ — RPM spec files and packaging logic
• SOURCES/ — source metadata and manifest files used by the packaging workflow
• METADATA/ — repository metadata used by the dist-git tooling
• SBOM/ — software bill of materials data, when present for the package

Large upstream source archives are intentionally not stored in this Git repository. Instead, source integrity is tracked through manifest files in SOURCES/, which record the expected upstream inputs for the build process.

Source storage and integrity policy

The repository is meant to carry packaging metadata, not full upstream source payloads. When preparing or reviewing an update, maintainers should:

• confirm that the SOURCES/ manifest files match the intended upstream source set
• check that any referenced upstream release artifacts are the correct ones for the package
• verify that the upstream content has not changed unexpectedly since the manifest was recorded
• update or regenerate source-tracking metadata if the packaging workflow requires it

If the package uses additional generated files in the dist-git workflow, NiceOS maintainers should verify whether those files need regeneration after an upstream update.

NiceOS maintenance notes

Before updating this package, check the following:

• upstream release notes and documentation for configuration changes
• whether the RPM spec needs adjustments for new build options, install paths, or service integration
• whether bundled documentation, man pages, or example configuration files changed in a way that affects packaging
• whether any SOURCES/ manifests or other source-tracking files need regeneration
• whether the update changes default behavior in a way that could affect existing deployments
• whether local patches still apply cleanly and remain necessary

Risks to consider:

• changed defaults may alter DNS, DHCP, or boot-time behavior in deployed networks
• configuration compatibility may differ from previous package releases
• packaging assumptions based on upstream file layout may need review
• service behavior should be checked carefully in environments that rely on deterministic network setup

Build and verification checklist

For a package update, NiceOS RPM maintainers should typically verify:

• the spec file parses cleanly and follows repository policy
• the source manifest in SOURCES/ matches the intended upstream input
• patches apply cleanly, or are removed if no longer needed
• %prep, %build, %install, and %check phases succeed in a clean build environment
• installed files land in the expected paths
• man pages and documentation are installed correctly, if shipped
• the service files, configuration examples, and default paths are still valid
• the package metadata and SBOM content, if maintained, are still consistent with the built artifacts
• the resulting RPM installs, upgrades, and uninstalls cleanly in a test environment
• basic runtime checks confirm that the daemon starts and reads its configuration as expected

References

• dnsmasq official documentation
• dnsmasq manual page
• dnsmasq setup notes

Russian documentation

A Russian-language README is available in README_RU.md.

Dist-git repository notes

• Package repository: rpms/dnsmasq
• NiceOS branch: niceos-5.2
• This README is intentionally stable and does not include EVR, source archive checksums or lock hashes.