Chrony
free NTP software
chrony is an implementation of the Network Time Protocol (NTP). It is an alternative to ntpd, a reference implementation of NTP. It runs on Unix-like operating systems (including Linux and macOS) and is released under the GNU GPL v2. It is the default NTP client and server in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15, and available in many Linux distributions.
Support for Network Time Security (NTS) was added in version 4.0.
Comparison with the reference implementation
In contrast to NTPsec, which is a security-focused fork of ntpd, chrony was implemented from scratch. It was designed to synchronize time even in difficult conditions such as intermittent network connections (such as laptops) and congested networks. Some improvements in this regard (compared to reference ntpd) include that it never steps (abruptly adjusts) time outside of startup, can correct for asymmetric network jitters, and can use larger clock rate adjustments on Linux to deal with a broken clock. It typically synchronizes faster and more accurately.
Unlike ntpd, it supports synchronizing the system clock via hardware timestamping (i.e. packet times on the network adapter), improving accuracy of time synchronization between machines on a LAN – to the order of 70 nanoseconds (from asymmetry), comparable to Precision Time Protocol.
“Chrony” enters the record as free NTP software. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Chrony, free and software can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Chrony” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Chrony, free and software provides the most credible route into that argument.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jan 8, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q28974767. 2 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 2 carry qualifiers and 1 use preferred rank.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Chrony”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Chrony primary sources, Chrony archive and Chrony research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Chrony”?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Chrony” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.