Maza ad blocking

Maza ad blocking is a lightweight, local ad blocker that blocks domains at the DNS/hosts level using native operating system tools. It is implemented as a Bash script and works across common Unix-like environments, including Linux and macOS.

Key Features

• Blocks ads and trackers for any browser or application by modifying the system hosts file
• One-command lifecycle: start, stop, status, and update blocked domain lists
• Supports custom blocklists and an ignore list to allow specific domains
• Optional dnsmasq output for wildcard/subdomain-style blocking beyond hosts file limitations
• Supports scheduled updates via cron for automatic list refresh

Use Cases

• Personal workstation ad/tracker blocking without browser extensions
• Lightweight DNS/hosts-based filtering on developer machines and laptops
• Building a small DNS-based blocker setup with dnsmasq for a local network

Limitations and Considerations

• Hosts-file blocking cannot use wildcards; dnsmasq is recommended for broader subdomain coverage
• Requires elevated privileges to modify system networking configuration (for example, hosts file)

Maza is a minimal, script-based approach to system-level domain blocking with a focus on simplicity and portability. It is best suited for users who want straightforward, local filtering and easy list management.