Managing Powerdns

---
name: managing-powerdns
description: |
  Use when working with Powerdns — powerDNS authoritative and recursor
  management covering zones, records, server statistics, DNSSEC, TSIG keys, and
  zone metadata. Use when managing PowerDNS servers, configuring DNS zones and
  records, enabling DNSSEC, monitoring server performance, or troubleshooting
  DNS resolution.
connection_type: powerdns
preload: false
---

# PowerDNS Skill

Manage PowerDNS authoritative server zones, records, DNSSEC, and server statistics.

## Core Helper Functions

```bash
#!/bin/bash

PDNS_API="http://$POWERDNS_HOST:8081/api/v1"
PDNS_SERVER="${POWERDNS_SERVER_ID:-localhost}"

pdns_api() {
    local endpoint="$1"
    shift
    curl -s -H "X-API-Key: $POWERDNS_API_KEY" \
         -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
         "$PDNS_API/servers/$PDNS_SERVER/$endpoint" "$@"
}
```

## MANDATORY: Discovery-First Pattern

### Phase 1: Discovery

```bash
#!/bin/bash

echo "=== Server Info ==="
curl -s -H "X-API-Key: $POWERDNS_API_KEY" "$PDNS_API/servers/$PDNS_SERVER" | jq '{
    id, daemon_type, version, config_url, zones_url
}'

echo ""
echo "=== Zones ==="
pdns_api "zones" | jq -r '
    .[] | "\(.id)\t\(.kind)\t\(.serial)\t\(.dnssec)\t\(.last_check // 0)"
' | column -t | head -20

echo ""
echo "=== Server Statistics ==="
pdns_api "statistics" | jq -r '
    .[] | select(.name | test("query-cache|packet-cache|queries|answers")) |
    "\(.name)\t\(.value)"
' | column -t | head -15

echo ""
echo "=== TSIG Keys ==="
pdns_api "tsigkeys" | jq -r '
    .[] | "\(.id)\t\(.name)\t\(.algorithm)"
' | column -t | head -10
```

### Phase 2: Analysis

```bash
#!/bin/bash
ZONE="${1:?Zone name required (e.g., example.com.)}"

echo "=== Zone Details ==="
pdns_api "zones/$ZONE" | jq '{
    name: .name, kind: .kind, serial: .serial,
    dnssec: .dnssec, nsec3param: .nsec3param,
    soa_edit: .soa_edit, soa_edit_api: .soa_edit_api,
    masters: .masters, account: .account,
    rrset_count: (.rrsets | length)
}'

echo ""
echo "=== Record Sets ==="
pdns_api "zones/$ZONE" | jq -r '
    .rrsets[] | "\(.type)\t\(.name)\t\(.ttl)s\t\(.records[0].content[:60])\t\(.records | length) records"
' | sort | column -t | head -30

echo ""
echo "=== DNSSEC Keys ==="
pdns_api "zones/$ZONE/cryptokeys" | jq -r '
    .[] | "\(.id)\t\(.keytype)\t\(.algorithm)\t\(.bits)\t\(.active)"
' | column -t | head -10

echo ""
echo "=== Zone Metadata ==="
pdns_api "zones/$ZONE/metadata" | jq -r '
    .[] | "\(.kind)\t\(.metadata | join(", "))"
' | column -t | head -10
```

## Output Rules
- **TOKEN EFFICIENCY**: Target <=50 lines per output
- Use jq to parse PowerDNS API JSON responses
- Zone names must end with a dot (e.g., `example.com.`)

## Safety Rules
- **Read-only by default**: Use GET endpoints for inspection
- **Never delete zones or records** without explicit confirmation
- **DNSSEC key rotation** must follow proper rollover procedures
- **Serial number management**: Use SOA-EDIT-API for automatic serial increments

## Output Format

Present results as a structured report:
```
Managing Powerdns Report
════════════════════════
Resources discovered: [count]

Resource       Status    Key Metric    Issues
──────────────────────────────────────────────
[name]         [ok/warn] [value]       [findings]

Summary: [total] resources | [ok] healthy | [warn] warnings | [crit] critical
Action Items: [list of prioritized findings]
```

Target ≤50 lines of output. Use tables for multi-resource comparisons.

## Anti-Hallucination Rules

1. **NEVER assume resource names** — always discover via CLI/API in Phase 1 before referencing in Phase 2.
2. **NEVER fabricate metric names or dimensions** — verify against the service documentation or `--help` output.
3. **NEVER mix CLI commands between service versions** — confirm which version/API you are targeting.
4. **ALWAYS use the discovery → verify → analyze chain** — every resource referenced must have been discovered first.
5. **ALWAYS handle empty results gracefully** — an empty response is valid data, not an error to retry.

## Counter-Rationalizations

| Shortcut | Counter | Why |
|----------|---------|-----|
| "I'll skip discovery and check known resources" | Always run Phase 1 discovery first | Resource names change, new resources appear — assumed names cause errors |
| "The user only asked for a quick check" | Follow the full discovery → analysis flow | Quick checks miss critical issues; structured analysis catches silent failures |
| "Default configuration is probably fine" | Audit configuration explicitly | Defaults often leave logging, security, and optimization features disabled |
| "Metrics aren't needed for this" | Always check relevant metrics when available | API/CLI responses show current state; metrics reveal trends and intermittent issues |
| "I don't have access to that" | Try the command and report the actual error | Assumed permission failures prevent useful investigation; actual errors are informative |

## Common Pitfalls
- **Trailing dot**: Zone and record names require trailing dot in the API
- **Zone kinds**: Native, Master, Slave have different replication behaviors
- **DNSSEC activation**: Enabling DNSSEC requires DS record at parent zone
- **API port**: Default API port is 8081; often behind a reverse proxy in production
- **RRset replacement**: PATCH with changetype REPLACE replaces entire RRset; DELETE removes it