> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.d0pam1ne.blackhatethicalhacking.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Running a recon

> From the authorization briefing to the live run screen to the per-stage summary: what a recon looks like as it happens.

Recon is the engine's main event. You pick a profile, confirm you are authorized,
and watch the attack surface fill in live, stage by stage. This page walks through
a run as it happens. For the stages themselves see [the recon pipeline](/engine/recon-pipeline.md),
and for pacing see [profiles](/engine/profiles.md).

## 1. Pick a profile

From the menu, **Run recon** first asks how deep to go. Each profile is one line of
plain language about coverage and speed, so the choice is never a guess.

![Choosing a recon profile in the D0pam1ne engine](https://mintcdn.com/black-hat-ethical-hacking/GZ18__Wmfy34pdFZ/images/engine/profile-picker.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=GZ18__Wmfy34pdFZ\&q=85\&s=7db7a61bd2edcedb0de0ebd13af9a009)

Fast, Stealth, Normal or Deep: coverage and pacing in one line each

## 2. Confirm the briefing

Before a single packet goes out, the engine shows a **recon briefing**: who is
testing, the project and engagement type, what is in and out of scope, the chosen
profile and plan, the exact nmap flags, and the rules of engagement. Then it asks
one plain question.

![The recon briefing and authorization prompt](https://mintcdn.com/black-hat-ethical-hacking/GZ18__Wmfy34pdFZ/images/engine/recon-briefing.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=GZ18__Wmfy34pdFZ\&q=85\&s=ad78522de588ff418af99a2ae460d83b)

The briefing, and the authorization gate: nothing runs until you answer

> [!WARNING]
>
> The authorization prompt is not a formality. Only run against targets you are
> authorized to test. Answer `y` only when the scope on screen matches your
> engagement's rules of engagement. From the CLI, `--yes` confirms this
> non-interactively, so use it only in authorized automation.

## 3. Watch it run

Once you confirm, the live run screen takes over. It is dense on purpose: every
number you care about updates in place as the tools work.

![The live recon run screen, subdomains stage](https://mintcdn.com/black-hat-ethical-hacking/GZ18__Wmfy34pdFZ/images/engine/recon-live.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=GZ18__Wmfy34pdFZ\&q=85\&s=01c4b9e1b43be2650b521c10ba9a1082)

The live run: stage progress, running tools, live counters and throughput

What you are looking at:

> **Stage progress**
>
> The current stage, how many of its tools are done, and the overall `n/15 stages` counter with a progress bar.

> **Live counters**
>
> Subdomains, resolved, open ports, services, live web, URLs, WAFs, panels, screenshots, secrets and refused-by-scope, all counting up as findings land.

> **Tool output**
>
> The raw stream from the tools running now, scrollable with the arrow keys and PgUp / PgDn, so you can watch exactly what each one finds.

> **Throughput**
>
> Network in and out, output lines per second, an ETA, and which tools are working versus finished.

As the run moves into later stages the same screen keeps up: here DNS resolution
is mapping names to addresses while the counters climb.

![The live recon run screen, DNS resolution stage](https://mintcdn.com/black-hat-ethical-hacking/GZ18__Wmfy34pdFZ/images/engine/recon-live-dns.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=GZ18__Wmfy34pdFZ\&q=85\&s=1bcf5e718a734e4ed97a3c3c9ce988bb)

Later in the same run: the DNS resolution stage resolving names to IPs

### Keys during a run

| Key | What it does |
| - | - |
| `↑` `↓` `PgUp` `PgDn` | Scroll the tool output while recon runs |
| `End` / `q` | Jump back to the live output |
| `s` | Stop the tool running now; the run carries on |
| `Ctrl+C` | Stop the run. Everything found is kept, and Resume picks it up |

## 4. Read the per-stage summary

When the run finishes (or when you stop it), the engine prints a summary of every
stage: what it found, how long it took, which tools ran, and anything that was not
installed and got skipped. A stopped run resumes exactly where it left off.

![The per-stage recon summary](https://mintcdn.com/black-hat-ethical-hacking/GZ18__Wmfy34pdFZ/images/engine/run-stages.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=GZ18__Wmfy34pdFZ\&q=85\&s=9815243dde7d8a0a11c8b8cb32442e61)

Each stage with its counts, timing, tools and any skips

> [!TIP]
>
> A skipped or failed stage never stops the pipeline: each writes its own files, so
> a partial run is still useful, and re-running fills in what was missing rather than
> starting over. See [Results and report](/engine/results.md) for everything the run
> leaves behind.

## From the CLI

The same run, without the interactive screen:

```bash theme={null}
# A quick, authorized run of just the surface
d0pam1ne recon --profile fast --only subdomains,dns,ports,web --yes

# Resume an interrupted deep run
d0pam1ne recon --profile deep --resume

# Plain line output instead of the live screen (good for logs and CI)
d0pam1ne recon --profile normal --plain --yes
```

See the full [CLI reference](/engine/cli-reference.md) for every flag.


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