A hostname command is used to view a computer’s hostname and domain name (DNS) (Domain Name Service), and to display or set a computer’s hostname or domain name.
A hostname is a name that is given to a computer that attached to the network that uniquely identifies over a network and thus allows it to be accessed without using its IP address.
The basic syntax for the hostname command is:
# hostname [options] [new_host_name]
In this short article, we will explain 5 useful hostname command examples for Linux beginners to view, set or change Linux system hostname from the Linux command-line interface.
If you run hostname command without any options, it will displays the current host name and domain name of your Linux system.
$ hostname tecmint
Show Linux Hostname
If the host name can be resolved, you can display the network address(es) (IP address) of the host name with the -i flag and the -I option establishes all configured network interfaces and shows all network addresses of the host.
$ hostname -i $ hostname -I
Show Hostname IP Addresses
To view the name of the DNS domain and FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) of your machine, use the -f and -d switches respectively. And the -A enables you to see all the FQDNs of the machine.
$ hostname -d $ hostname -f $ hostname -A
Show Host DNS Names
To display the alias name (i.e., substitute names), if used for the host name, use the -a flag.
$ hostname -a
Last but not least, to change or set hostname of your Linux system, simply run the following command, remember to replace “NEW_HOSTNAME” with the actual hostname that you wish to set or change.
$ sudo hostname NEW_HOSTNAME
Set Linux System Hostname
Note that the changes made using the above command will only last until the next reboot. Under systemd – system and service manager, you can use the hostnamectl command to permanently set or change your system hostname as explained in the following articles.
- How to Set or Change System Hostname in Linux
- How to Set or Change Hostname in CentOS 7
That’s It! In this short article, we explained 5 hostname command examples for Linux newbies. If you have any questions, use the feedback form below to reach us.