# 0xERR0R/blocky

Fast and lightweight DNS proxy as ad-blocker for local network with many features

Repository: https://github.com/0xERR0R/blocky
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/blocky
Homepage: https://0xERR0R.github.io/blocky/
Language: Go
License: Apache-2.0
License Family: permissive
Topics: ad-blocker, adblocker, dns, self-hosted, golang, selfhosted, pihole, dns-over-https, dns-server, parental-control, adblock
Last push: 2026-08-24T05:07:55+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 98/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 95, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 2492, "days_push": 9, "days_rel": 37, "gap_med": 16, "n_releases_24m": 14}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 6895, forks 298 (observed 2026-08-28T04:09:51.152981+00:00)

## What it is
Blocky is a fast, lightweight DNS proxy and ad-blocker for local networks, written in Go. It blocks ads and malware via external allow/denylists, supports modern DNS protocols (DoH, DoT, DoQ), and offers caching, prefetching, and per-client DNS configuration.

## Use cases
- block ads network-wide with a self-hosted dns server
- replace pihole with a lightweight dns ad-blocker
- set up dns-over-https and dns-over-tls for my home network
- filter dns queries per device for parental controls
- cache and prefetch dns queries to speed up resolution
- block malware domains using external blocklists
- forward dns conditionally to different upstream resolvers

## When to choose
- you want a fast, low-memory DNS ad-blocker for your whole local network
- you need modern DNS protocols like DoH, DoT, or DoQ with upstream encryption
- you need per-client-group blocking rules, regex lists, or parental controls
- you prefer a single Go binary or Docker container over heavier solutions like Pi-hole

## When to avoid
- you need a full web UI with dashboards and query logs like Pi-hole or AdGuard Home
- you want DHCP server functionality bundled with your DNS blocker
- you need a GUI-managed solution rather than YAML configuration files

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: active
- function: proxy, caching, security, networking, self-hosted
- domain: networking, security, self-hosted, privacy
- platform: self-hosted, go, cross-platform
- tags: dns-proxy, ad-blocker, dns-over-https, dns-over-tls, pihole-alternative, parental-control, network-wide-blocking, linux, docker

## Member repositories
- 0xERR0R/blocky (main) score 98

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:51.152981+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T17:41:38.113809+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/0xERR0R/blocky (fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:51.152981+00:00, sha 609a06c78603)
  - homepage: https://0xERR0R.github.io/blocky/ (fetched 2026-08-29T08:37:22.802747+00:00, sha 36c6c3c2e4f9)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.