host

host - Local Host Table Management

The host module provides a safe and efficient way to manage the local /etc/hosts file. It handles sudo permissions, provides automated backups before edits, and supports interactive fuzzy searching.

When to Activate

• When the user wants to add or remove local hostname-to-IP mappings.
• When performing a quick lookup of an IP for a local hostname.
• When searching the hosts file interactively using FZF (fz).
• When viewing the full contents of the hosts file with pagination.

Core Principles & Rules

• Safety: Automatically creates backups before any modification (ed subcommand).
• Interactive Search: Use fz for a searchable TUI experience.
• Privilege Handling: Clearly indicates that editing requires sudo access.

Patterns & Examples

Add/Edit Mapping

# Map a local development domain to an IP
x host ed myapp.local=192.168.1.100

Remove Mapping

# Delete a specific hostname mapping (prefix with -)
x host ed -myapp.local

Search Hosts

# Interactively search for an entry in the hosts file
x host fz

Checklist

• Confirm the target hostname and IP address for edits.
• Verify if the user has sudo permissions for modification.
• Ensure the operation (add/remove) is clearly understood.