'\" t
.TH "HOSTNAME" "5" "" "systemd 219" "hostname"
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.SH "NAME"
hostname \- Local hostname configuration file
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.PP
/etc/hostname
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.PP
The
/etc/hostname
file configures the name of the local system that is set during boot using the
\fBsethostname\fR(2)
system call\&. It should contain a single newline\-terminated hostname string\&. The hostname may be a free\-form string up to 64 characters in length; however, it is recommended that it consists only of 7\-bit ASCII lower\-case characters and no spaces or dots, and limits itself to the format allowed for DNS domain name labels, even though this is not a strict requirement\&.
.PP
Depending on the operating system, other configuration files might be checked for configuration of the hostname as well, however only as fallback\&.
.PP
You may use
\fBhostnamectl\fR(1)
to change the value of this file during runtime from the command line\&. Use
\fBsystemd-firstboot\fR(1)
to initialize it on mounted (but not booted) system images\&.
.SH "HISTORY"
.PP
The simple configuration file format of
/etc/hostname
originates from Debian GNU/Linux\&.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.PP
\fBsystemd\fR(1),
\fBsethostname\fR(2),
\fBhostname\fR(1),
\fBhostname\fR(7),
\fBmachine-id\fR(5),
\fBmachine-info\fR(5),
\fBhostnamectl\fR(1),
\fBsystemd-hostnamed.service\fR(8),
\fBsystemd-firstboot\fR(1)
