Linux › Section I · Your network and its configuration › Topic I.8
Resolving hostnames and localhost
A network connection that cannot turn names into addresses is almost useless, and on Linux several files and services share that job. This topic follows a name lookup from a program through /etc/hosts, nsswitch.conf and resolv.conf to systemd-resolved, and explains the special addresses that always mean this machine.
In this topic
- How a program looks up a name
- /etc/hosts
- /etc/nsswitch.conf
- /etc/resolv.conf
- systemd-resolved
- resolvectl
- Worked example: following a short name
- Worked example: reading resolvectl status
- Localhost and the loopback interface
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
This topic is part of Wuanberri Pro. Checking your access…