A modern command-line tool for diagnostics related to trust, TLS, certificates, DNS, mail security, and HSTS. Designed for system administrators, DevOps, SRE, and security teams that need to perform fast, repeatable, and technical tests directly from the terminal.
HEXSSL-CLI was created as a practical operational tool for verifying selected aspects of trust and the security of published services. It makes it possible to analyze certificates, DNS, mail trust, and HSTS locally, on an administrative server, in scripts, or within deployment pipelines.
It is a solution for environments where verification speed, repeatability of results, and the ability to easily integrate tests into an internal technical process all matter.
Fast tests launched directly from the terminal, without unnecessary intermediary layers.
Separate validation areas for TLS, certificates, DNS, mail trust, and HSTS.
A strong fit for scripts, operational workflows, and CI/CD.
A project focused on real operational and post-deployment use cases.
Checks the TLS certificate and baseline deployment parameters for a selected host.
Validates DNS records in the context of configuration correctness and baseline hardening.
Analyzes selected aspects of mail trust for a domain using the specified selector.
Verifies HSTS header correctness and domain behavior in the context of transport security.
Assesses preload readiness and compliance with stricter HSTS configuration requirements.
Analyzes the redirect chain and the transition from HTTP to HTTPS.
Provides multi-path scanning across multiple application paths, useful in complex deployments.
Runs a full audit with grading, helping to quickly assess the current configuration state.
HEXSSL-CLI works best wherever teams need to quickly confirm the state of a domain or service after technical changes. It can be used after deploying a new certificate, after DNS changes, during mail trust verification, while checking HSTS and preload readiness, and as part of standard quality checks before publishing changes to production.
It is also a convenient solution for administrators managing multiple domains, maintenance service providers, and teams that want to standardize the first line of technical diagnostics.
Web-based tools are convenient for a single test. But when greater control, repeatability, script-based execution, or easier integration with an internal technical workflow is needed, a CLI approach offers significantly more flexibility.
HEXSSL-CLI extends the HEXSSL ecosystem with a terminal-based layer designed for administrators, DevOps, and security teams that want to work faster and more predictably.
pip install hexssl-cli
hexssl-cli cert check example.com
hexssl-cli cert check example.com --json
hexssl-cli dns check example.com
hexssl-cli dns check example.com --json
hexssl-cli mail check example.com --selector default
hexssl-cli mail check example.com --selector default --json
hexssl-cli hsts check example.com
hexssl-cli hsts preload example.com
hexssl-cli hsts redirects example.com
hexssl-cli hsts scan example.com --paths "/,/login,/api,/admin"
hexssl-cli hsts audit example.comHEXSSL-CLI provides readable output for operators as well as JSON format for automation, making it easier to integrate with internal scripts, reporting, and CI/CD pipelines.
The project also uses explicit exit codes, which makes results easy to interpret in automated environments and technical workflows.
HEXSSL-CLI was designed for individuals and teams that work close to infrastructure, service configuration, and the security of web service publishing. It is especially well suited to environments where fast diagnosis, technical control of changes, and easy repeatability of tests matter.
Here we publish the most important project updates, new modules, and functional changes introduced in subsequent versions of the tool.
Release date: 10.04.2026
Version 0.2.0 significantly expands the capabilities of HEXSSL-CLI and moves the project beyond its earlier, narrower functional scope.
HEXSSL-CLI is being developed as a practical technical tool for the everyday diagnostics of trust and service publication security.
The release history section will be expanded with future versions, including the most important changes, new modules, and links to relevant release notes on GitHub.
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