Hostbuddy is intended to manage and update the /etc/hosts file. As the host file stores essential information mapping hostnames to IP addresses, the tool can be used to override your system’s default DNS configuration Regrettably, its help documentation is practically inexistent.
The application is extremely light and easy to install. Its interface resembles that of a text editor except for the left-side pane, which shows host names. When you open the tool for the first time, the contents of the default /etc/hosts file appear by default. Luckily, adding, renaming and erasing hosts is just a breeze.
Editing the contents of a hosts file is very easy and, once you have finished, your changes can be saved with just a click. However, it is important not to mess with this file if you do not know what you are doing, since any error can affect your computer’s performance. In this respect, it is good that Hostbuddy lets you create other hosts without modifying the original file. Additionally, the tool lets you flush the DNS cache.
All in all, even though Hostbuddy does nothing you cannot do with the terminal and a standard text editor, it certainly makes the task of managing and updating hosts files much easier. This way, this app lets you configure various hosts, which permits switching between different servers, testing sites and even blocking unwanted networks. Good news is that the product can be tried at no cost.
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