Install Jentic One Beta

Connect the PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API to your agent

Jentic One is a self-hosted execution layer for AI agents. It lets your agent call the PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API, or any other public or private API you need. You set the rules, the agent never sees your credentials, and every call is logged.

Two steps, two machines. Install the instance in a safe environment, then register your agent from wherever it runs.

Step 1: Jentic One Host machine

# On the machine that will host your Jentic One instance:
curl -fsSL "https://jentic.com/install.sh?src=apis&api=%2Fapis%2Fpowerdns.local%2Fpowerdns" | sh

Step 2: Agent machine

# On the machine where your agent runs (keep this separate from the instance):
curl -fsSL "https://jentic.com/install.sh?src=apis&api=%2Fapis%2Fpowerdns.local%2Fpowerdns" | sh
jentic register       # connects your agent to your Jentic One instance

Jentic One is in public beta. The setup above keeps your agent separate from the instance, which is what you want before using real credentials: an agent running as the same OS user as Jentic One can read its stored keys directly. Just evaluating? A single local install is fine to start. See the secure deployment guide for the tiers.

Capabilities

What an agent can do with PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API.

Create, modify, and delete DNS zones with full record set management via zone patching

Manage DNSSEC cryptographic keys including generation, activation, and deletion per zone

Configure TSIG keys for authenticated zone transfers between primary and secondary servers

Flush server cache selectively by domain name to force record re-resolution

GET STARTED

Start building with PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API

Explore with Jentic One

View OpenAPI Document

Use Cases

Patterns agents use PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API for, with concrete tasks.

★ DNS Zone and Record Management

Programmatically manage DNS zones and their record sets on PowerDNS authoritative servers. The API supports creating zones in Native, Master, or Slave mode, patching individual record sets (add, modify, delete), and exporting full zone data. Record changes are applied atomically per zone patch request, ensuring consistency. Supports all standard record types including A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SRV, and NS.

Create a new zone 'example.com' in Native mode via POST /servers/{server_id}/zones, then patch it to add an A record pointing to 192.0.2.1

DNSSEC Key Management

Manage DNSSEC cryptographic keys for zones to enable authenticated DNS responses. The API provides endpoints to list, create, activate, deactivate, and delete cryptographic keys per zone. Key rollovers can be automated by creating new keys, activating them, and deactivating old keys in sequence. Supports both KSK and ZSK key types with configurable algorithms.

List all cryptographic keys for zone 'example.com' via GET /servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id}/cryptokeys and identify which key is currently active

DNS Infrastructure Automation

Automate DNS infrastructure operations including cache flushing, zone notifications, AXFR retrieval, and server configuration inspection. The API enables infrastructure-as-code workflows where DNS state is managed declaratively. Cache flush endpoints allow targeted invalidation after record changes, while notify triggers immediate propagation to secondary servers without waiting for SOA timers.

Flush the cache for 'example.com' using PUT /servers/{server_id}/cache/flush, then trigger a NOTIFY to secondaries via PUT /servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id}/notify

AI Agent DNS Operations

Enable AI agents to manage DNS infrastructure through Jentic by discovering zone and record management operations via intent search. Agents can create zones, update records, manage DNSSEC keys, and monitor server state without memorizing the PowerDNS API structure. Jentic provides operation schemas with field requirements so agents construct valid zone patches on first attempt.

Search Jentic for 'add a DNS A record', load the PowerDNS zone patch schema, and execute to add an A record for 'www.example.com' pointing to a specified IP address

Key Endpoints

36 endpoints — the powerdns authoritative http api provides programmatic control over powerdns authoritative nameserver instances.

METHOD

PATH

DESCRIPTION

GET

/servers/{server_id}/zones

List all zones on the server

POST

/servers/{server_id}/zones

Create a new DNS zone

PATCH

/servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id}

Update records in a zone (add/modify/delete)

GET

/servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id}/cryptokeys

List DNSSEC cryptographic keys for a zone

PUT

/servers/{server_id}/cache/flush

Flush the server cache for a domain

GET

/servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id}/export

Export zone data in AXFR format

PUT

/servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id}/notify

Trigger NOTIFY to secondary servers

GET

/servers/{server_id}/search-data

Search records across all zones

GET

/servers/{server_id}/zones

List all zones on the server

POST

/servers/{server_id}/zones

Create a new DNS zone

PATCH

/servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id}

Update records in a zone (add/modify/delete)

GET

/servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id}/cryptokeys

List DNSSEC cryptographic keys for a zone

PUT

/servers/{server_id}/cache/flush

Flush the server cache for a domain

GET

/servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id}/export

Export zone data in AXFR format

PUT

/servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id}/notify

Trigger NOTIFY to secondary servers

Why Jentic?

What agents get from Jentic-routed access to this vendor.

Setup

Wiring the PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API by hand means setting the X-API-Key header, pointing at your self-hosted /api/v1 instance, and managing zone patch payloads yourself. Through Jentic you install once, import the PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API from the API Directory, store the API key once, and your agent calls it.

Permission scoping

PowerDNS puts the server and zone ids in the URL path (/servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id}/...), so a rule can pin your agent to one zone: it can read and patch records for that zone and nothing else. You choose the operations it may call, so a cache flush or a zone-wide notify is not included unless you add it.

Credential isolation

Your PowerDNS X-API-Key is stored once, encrypted, by your own Jentic One instance and injected at execution time. It never enters the agent's prompt, logs, or context.

Intent-based discovery

Agents search Jentic by intent such as 'create a DNS zone' or 'export a zone file', and Jentic returns the matching PowerDNS operation with its input schema so the agent calls the right endpoint without browsing the reference docs.

FAQs

Specific to using PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API through Jentic.

What authentication does the PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API use?

The PowerDNS API uses an API key passed in the X-API-Key HTTP header. This key is configured in the PowerDNS server's pdns.conf file via the api-key setting. Through Jentic, this key is stored encrypted in the credential vault and injected automatically into requests.

Can I manage individual DNS records with the PowerDNS API?

Yes. Use PATCH /servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id} with a JSON body containing rrsets to add, modify, or delete individual record sets. Each rrset specifies the record name, type, TTL, and changetype (REPLACE or DELETE). Multiple record changes can be applied atomically in a single request.

What are the rate limits for the PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API?

The PowerDNS API is self-hosted, so rate limits depend on your server configuration and hardware capacity. There are no vendor-imposed external rate limits. Performance depends on zone count, record volume, and server resources allocated to the web API listener.

How do I create a DNS zone through the PowerDNS API using Jentic?

Install the SDK with pip install jentic, then search for 'create a DNS zone'. Jentic returns the POST /servers/{server_id}/zones operation schema requiring name, kind (Native/Master/Slave), and nameservers array. Execute to create the zone, then use PATCH to add records.

Does the PowerDNS API support DNSSEC key management?

Yes. The /servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id}/cryptokeys endpoints let you list, create, activate, deactivate, and delete DNSSEC keys. You can automate key rollovers by creating new keys with POST, activating them with PUT, and deleting old keys with DELETE. The rectify endpoint ensures zone data consistency after key changes.

Can I limit what my agent is allowed to do with the PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API?

Yes. Jentic One is self-hosted, so your own rules decide which PowerDNS operations and credentials the agent may use. Because PowerDNS puts the server and zone ids in the URL path, such as /servers/{server_id}/zones/{zone_id}, you can pin the agent to a single zone so it reads and patches records for that zone and nothing else. You also choose the operations it may call, so a cache flush or a zone-wide notify stays off limits unless you explicitly allow it.

PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API

Name: PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API
Brand: PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API
Availability: InStock

AI ReadinessAI-Aware (B+)68/100

See full scorecard

Cloud InfrastructureNetworkingapiKey36 EndpointsREST

For Agents

Manage DNS zones, records, DNSSEC keys, and server configuration on self-hosted PowerDNS authoritative nameserver instances. Supports zone creation, record updates, AXFR triggers, and cache flushing.

Use for: I need to create a new DNS zone on my PowerDNS server, I want to add an A record to an existing zone, List all DNS zones managed by the server, Retrieve the DNSSEC keys for a specific zone

Not supported: Does not handle domain registration, DNS hosting billing, or CDN configuration - use for authoritative DNS zone and record management on self-hosted PowerDNS instances only.

The PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API provides programmatic control over PowerDNS authoritative nameserver instances. It exposes 36 endpoints for managing DNS zones (create, modify, delete, export, notify, rectify), individual DNS records via zone patching, DNSSEC cryptographic keys, TSIG keys for zone transfers, zone metadata, server configuration, cache management, and autoprimary relationships. The API is self-hosted and communicates via the X-API-Key header.

Jentic One on Github View OpenAPI Document

Show dimension breakdown

Foundational Compliance

Base layer of spec validity and structural soundness.

Grade: A+Signals: 4

96%

Lint Results

Aggregated quality score from linter diagnostics, weighted by severity.

100%

Resolution Completeness

Percentage of `$ref` references that resolve successfully.

100%

Specification Validity

Checks whether the API description parses successfully and conforms to its declared specification (e.g., OpenAPI).

100%

Structural Integrity

Structural correctness score based on schema issues using logarithmic dampening.

Developer Experience & Jentic Compatibility

Clarity, completeness, and ingestion readiness for developers and tooling.

Grade: BSignals: 4

Example Density

How richly the API is illustrated with examples.

100%

Example Validity

Percentage of examples that conform to their schemas.

74%

Response Coverage

Percentage of operations with complete response definitions (success, client error, server error).

93%

Tooling Readiness

Health of API ingestion, bundling, and resolution within Jentic pipelines.

AI-Readiness & Agent Experience

Semantic breadth, depth, and agent comprehension for AI systems.

Grade: CSignals: 4

67%

Description Coverage

Coverage of descriptions across API elements.

Error Standardization

Coverage of RFC 9457 Problem Details for error responses.

97%

OperationId Quality

Coverage, uniqueness, and casing consistency of operationIds for AI inference.

60%

Summary Coverage

Coverage of summaries across operations/tags/info.

Agent Usability

Functional utility, complexity comfort, and AI orchestration readiness.

Grade: A+Signals: 1

94%

Complexity Comfort

Agent comfort level based on API operational and structural complexity.

Security

Trust, risk posture, and security compliance.

Grade: C-Signals: 1

50%

Authentication Strength

Average quality of security schemes based on authentication method strength (weakest link for OAuth2).

AI Discoverability

Findability, semantic richness, and reasoning readiness.

Grade: B-Signals: 1

62%

Descriptive Richness

Clarity and depth of descriptions across API elements.

Connect the PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API to your agent

Capabilities

Start building with PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API

Use Cases

Key Endpoints

Why Jentic?

Related APIs

FAQs

PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API

Jentic AI Readiness Score

PowerDNS Authoritative HTTP API

Foundational Compliance

Lint Results

Resolution Completeness

Specification Validity

Structural Integrity

Developer Experience & Jentic Compatibility

Example Density

Example Validity

Response Coverage

Tooling Readiness

AI-Readiness & Agent Experience

Description Coverage

Error Standardization

OperationId Quality

Summary Coverage

Agent Usability

Complexity Comfort

Security

Authentication Strength

AI Discoverability

Descriptive Richness