[Script request]: CoreDNS - Authoritative DNS Server for Homelabs & Automated Proxmox Deployments

[mongo-56]

Application Name

CoreDNS

Website

https://github.com/coredns/coredns

Description

CoreDNS is a modern, lightweight, and highly extensible DNS server designed to provide fast, reliable, and modular DNS services. It is the default DNS engine for Kubernetes and is widely used in cloud-native environments because of its simplicity, performance, and plugin-driven architecture.

In a Proxmox VE homelab, CoreDNS serves a critical role as a local authoritative DNS server, enabling automated creation of internal DNS records for LXCs, VMs, containers, and services, especially in setups where users employ automation tools like Ansible, Semaphore, Traefik, or cloudflare-ddns.

Why CoreDNS Is a Perfect Fit for Proxmox VE Helper-Scripts

1. Ideal for Automated Homelabs

Proxmox users increasingly rely on automated provisioning pipelines (e.g., create_lxc.sh, Ansible playbooks, cloud-init). CoreDNS fits perfectly into this workflow:

  - Zone files can be generated automatically.
  - Reloads are instant (systemctl reload coredns).
  - DNS integration becomes fully automated and reproducible.

This is extremely useful when spinning up many LXCs or VMs that need immediate DNS availability.

2. Lightweight, Fast, and Resource-Efficient

CoreDNS has a tiny footprint and runs flawlessly inside a minimal Debian LXC. Compared to heavier DNS stacks (BIND, PowerDNS), CoreDNS:

  - Starts instantly
  - Uses minimal memory
  - Handles thousands of requests per second
  - Has predictable, clean configuration files

This matches the Proxmox philosophy: small, efficient, single-purpose containers.

3. Clean Separation of DNS Roles

In modern homelab deployments, DNS is split into:

  - Authoritative DNS (for internal zones → CoreDNS)
  - Ad-blocking filters (AdGuard Home / Pi-hole)
  - Recursive DNS with DNSSEC & DoT/DoH upstreams (Unbound LXC or OPNsense)

CoreDNS fits perfectly into this model because it focuses ONLY on authoritative DNS, without bundling recursion, blocking, or forwarding logic. This makes it extremely stable and reduces complexity.

4. Works Perfectly With Other PVE Community Scripts

CoreDNS complements other community LXC scripts, such as:

  - Unbound LXC (recursive resolver with DNSSEC validation)
  - cloudflare-ddns LXC (dynamic DNS updates for public IPs)
  - Traefik LXC (reverse proxy for local services)

Together, they form a complete, modular DNS stack that can survive router failures and operate independently of external hardware.

5. Enhances Reliability of Proxmox Clusters

Many users want DNS to remain available even if:

  - OPNsense or the router is down
  - DHCP fails temporarily
  - WAN link drops
  - VLANs are reorganized
  - Running CoreDNS inside Proxmox ensures:
  - DNS remains under hypervisor control
  - High availability through snapshots or replication
  - Easy backup & restore
  - Fully internal, independent DNS for all nodes and services

This is especially beneficial for multi-node Proxmox clusters where reliable DNS resolution is required for Ceph, HA, and API access.

6. Streamlined for Homelab Naming Conventions

Homelab users typically run dozens of internal services with names like:

  - grafana.home.lab
  - traefik.lan
  - influxdb.home.domain.tld

CoreDNS allows homelab owners to manage internal zones cleanly, without relying on router-based DNS overrides or ad-blocker DNS hacks.

7. CoreDNS Is a Modern Standard

Its inclusion strengthens the PVE community library with a future-proof DNS service that:

  - Is actively maintained
  - Widely used across cloud and container ecosystems
  - Has fast release cycles
  - Has excellent documentation
  - Scales from tiny homelabs to enterprise deployments

This aligns perfectly with the quality and purpose of the Proxmox VE Helper-Scripts collection.

Summary

A CoreDNS LXC script would be a major asset to the Proxmox VE Helper-Scripts ecosystem because:

  - It fills a missing piece in the homelab DNS stack
  - It integrates seamlessly with existing community LXCs (Unbound, Cloudflare-DDNS, Traefik, Pi-hole/AdGuard)
  - It is lightweight, fast, modern, and automation-friendly
  - It enhances reliability of both Proxmox clusters and homelab infrastructure
  - It empowers users to run a clean, modular, professional-grade DNS architecture inside Proxmox

CoreDNS is an ideal candidate for a dedicated helper script and would be widely appreciated by the rapidly growing homelab community using Proxmox as their main platform.

Due Diligence

• I have searched existing scripts and found no duplicates.
• I have searched existing discussions and found no duplicate requests.