HOSTS(5)HOSTS(5)NAME
/etc/hosts - host name data base
DESCRIPTION
NOTE: This file is superceded by netinfo(5) if NetInfo is running.
The hosts file contains information regarding the known hosts on the
network. For each host a single line should be present with the
following information:
official host name
Internet address
aliases
Items are separated by any number of blanks and/or tab characters. A
``#'' indicates the beginning of a comment; characters up to the end of
the line are not interpreted by routines which search the file.
When using the name server named(8), this file provides a backup when
the name server is not running. For the name server, it is suggested
that only a few addresses be included in this file. These include
address for the local interfaces that ifconfig(8C) needs at boot time
and a few machines on the local network.
This file may be created from the official host data base maintained at
the Network Information Control Center (NIC), though local changes may
be required to bring it up to date regarding unofficial aliases and/or
unknown hosts. As the data base maintained at NIC is incomplete, use
of the name server is recommend for sites on the DARPA Internet.
Network addresses are specified in the conventional ``.'' notation
using the inet_addr() routine from the Internet address manipulation
library, inet(3N). Host names may contain any printable character
other than a field delimiter, newline, or comment character.
FILES
/etc/hosts
SEE ALSOgethostbyname(3N), ifconfig(8C), named(8), netinfo(5)
Name Server Operations Guide for BIND
4.2 Berkeley Distribution May 14, 1986 HOSTS(5)