HOSTS(NF)                                  UNIX System V



     Name
          hosts - Host name data base


     Syntax
          /etc/hosts


     Description
          The hosts file  contains  information  regarding  the  known
          hosts  on  the  DARPA Internet.  For each host a single line
          should be present with the following information:

          Internet address
          official host name
          aliases

          Items are separated by  any  number  of  blanks  and/or  tab
          characters.   A  sharp sign (#) indicates the beginning of a
          comment; characters up to  the  end  of  the  line  are  not
          interpreted by routines which search the file.  This file is
          normally created from the official host data base maintained
          at  the  Network  Information  Control  Center (NIC), though
          local changes may  be  required  to  bring  it  up  to  date
          regarding unofficial aliases and/or unknown hosts.

          Network addresses are specified in the conventional dot  (.)
          notation  using  the  inet_addr()  routine from the Internet
          address manipulation library, inet(SLIB).   Host  names  may
          contain   any   printable   character  other  than  a  field
          delimiter, newline, or comment character.


     Example
          Here is a typical line from the /etc/hosts file:
               192.9.1.20        earth                        # Alison Shanks


     Files
          /etc/hosts


     Notes
          This file is dependent on the  network  transport  mechanism
          used.


     See Also
          gethostent(NS)


     (printed 8/17/89)                                  HOSTS(NF)