---
title: "BIND block topmost"
slug: "bind-block-topmost"
description: "Topmost is used as a placeholder at the topmost level of the configuration hierarchy, to describe the area(s) in which other statements can be used."
updated: 2026-02-03T11:42:39Z
published: 2026-02-03T11:42:39Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.isc.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# BIND block topmost

## Name

```

```

## Syntax

```
   ...
```

## Blocks

none

## Default value(s)

None.

## Introduced

- Date:	1997-05-06
- BIND version:	8.1.1

## Deprecated

Still current as of 2025-12-19

## Description

There is no configuration block with the name `topmost`; rather, this is used as a placeholder when describing the area(s) in which other statements can be used. `topmost` does not mean literally at the top of the configuration file; it means at the top level of the configuration hierarchy. Any statement or block that is eligible to be configured at the topmost level may be placed anywhere in the configuration file, outside of other blocks.

For example, the block [`options`](/bind-block-options) (if used) is configured at the topmost level of the configuration hierarchy, but could be placed anywhere in the configuration file.

## ARM reference

There is no reference in the ARM for `topmost` because it is not a configuration element keyword. It serves as a placeholder to reference the topmost level of the configuration hierarchy.

## See also...