Temporary failure in name resolution

The Temporary failure in name resolution error means that the system was unable to resolve a hostname to an IP address at the time of the request. This is a global DNS-related ROOT error that occurs when name resolution temporarily fails due to network, DNS server, or system configuration issues. It commonly appears on Linux servers, cloud instances, Docker containers, Java and Spring Boot applications, databases, and other network-dependent services.

When does this error occur?

  • Accessing a domain name when DNS servers are unreachable
  • System startup before network or DNS services are fully ready
  • Running applications inside containers with misconfigured DNS
  • Temporary network outages or packet loss
  • Incorrect or missing DNS configuration on the system

Root cause of Temporary failure in name resolution

At the OS and network level, Temporary failure in name resolution occurs when the DNS resolver cannot contact a configured DNS server or receive a valid response. This can be caused by network connectivity issues, unreachable or overloaded DNS servers, incorrect resolver configuration, or DNS services not running on the system.

How to fix the error (step-by-step)

Linux / macOS

Check basic network connectivity. 

ping 8.8.8.8

Verify DNS resolution. 

nslookup google.com
dig google.com

Inspect DNS configuration. 

cat /etc/resolv.conf

If needed, temporarily add a public DNS server. 

nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 1.1.1.1

Restart DNS-related services. 

sudo systemctl restart systemd-resolved

Windows

Test DNS resolution. 

nslookup google.com

Flush the DNS cache. 

ipconfig /flushdns

Verify network adapter DNS settings.

Java / Spring Boot

Ensure the system can resolve hostnames used by the application. 

InetAddress.getByName("example.com");

Avoid hardcoding hostnames that depend on unstable DNS resolution.

Docker / containers

Check DNS settings inside the container. 

docker exec -it <container_id> cat /etc/resolv.conf

Test name resolution from within the container. 

docker exec -it <container_id> ping google.com

Specify DNS servers explicitly if required. 

docker run --dns 8.8.8.8 --dns 1.1.1.1 <image>

Database / network services

Ensure database hostnames resolve correctly and DNS is available during service startup.

Verify the fix

Repeat the original command or application request that failed earlier. The issue is resolved when hostnames consistently resolve to IP addresses and network operations complete without DNS-related errors.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Restarting applications without checking DNS availability
  • Overwriting resolv.conf without understanding system DNS management
  • Assuming the issue is permanent when it is temporary
  • Ignoring container-level DNS configuration
  • Relying on unstable or unreachable DNS servers

Quick tip

Always configure at least two reliable DNS servers to reduce the chance of Temporary failure in name resolution during transient network issues.

FAQ

Q: Is this error permanent?

A: No. It usually indicates a temporary DNS or network issue that resolves once connectivity or DNS services are restored.

Q: Can this error affect applications even if the internet is working?

A: Yes. Applications can fail if DNS resolution is broken even when raw IP connectivity is available.

Conclusion

The Temporary failure in name resolution error is caused by DNS resolution failures at the system or network level. Ensuring stable DNS configuration and connectivity helps prevent this issue. Check related DNS and network ROOT errors on ErrorFixHub for further troubleshooting.

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