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Format of /etc/hosts [was: Paquage: base-files / Pre-standardisation program /etc/hosts file format - Cloud and AI new issues - Bug - DEBIAN OS Distrib]



On Fri, Dec 12, 2025 at 02:32:14PM +0100, Arno Lehmann wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> Am 12.12.2025 um 13:54 schrieb tomas@tuxteam.de:
> > On Fri, Dec 12, 2025 at 12:17:30PM +0000, Loic Coupel wrote:
> > > Hello,
> > > 
> > > Dear Debian User List
> > 
> > [...] Besides, I don't believe you that the format of /etc/hosts changes
> > across GNU/Linux distros (no idea 'bout Android, and about Windows,
> > I couldn't care less, sorry).
> 
> Indeed a bold claim... all hosts files I have ever seen or used use exactly
> the same format. Even on Windows.
> 
> The file format is afaik not formally defined but seems to date back to
> early BSD implementations [...]

Actually, the hosts(5) man page has this to say, under "Historical notes":

  RFC 952 gave the original format for the host table, though it has
  since changed.

...so there seems to be an (albeit outdated) formal spec :)

Cheers
-- 
t

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