How to Change Hostname in Linux

In Linux, the hostname is a label assigned to a computer or device on a network. It is used to identify the device by other devices on the network. Changing the hostname in Linux is a simple process that can be done using various methods, depending on the distribution and version of Linux being used. In this article, we will discuss how to change the hostname in Linux using the command line.

Step 1: Check the Current Hostname

Before changing the hostname, it is necessary to check the current hostname of the system. To do this, open the terminal and enter the following command:

hostname

This will display the current hostname of the system.

Step 2: Change the Hostname

To change the hostname in Linux, we can use the hostnamectl command. This command is available in most modern Linux distributions and allows us to set the hostname, as well as other related settings.

To change the hostname, open the terminal and enter the following command:

sudo hostnamectl set-hostname [new_hostname]

Replace [new_hostname] with the desired hostname. For example, if we want to set the hostname to mycomputer, we would enter:

sudo hostnamectl set-hostname mycomputer

After entering this command, the system will prompt you to enter the password for the current user. Once the password is entered, the hostname will be changed.

Step 3: Verify the New Hostname

To verify that the hostname has been changed, enter the following command:

hostname

This will display the new hostname of the system.

Additional Methods

In addition to using the hostnamectl command, there are other methods to change the hostname in Linux. One such method is to edit the /etc/hostname file directly. To do this, open the terminal and enter the following command:

sudo nano /etc/hostname

This will open the hostname file in the Nano text editor. Replace the current hostname with the desired hostname and save the file by pressing Ctrl+X, Y, and Enter.

After saving the file, enter the following command to apply the changes:

sudo service hostname restart

This will restart the hostname service and apply the new hostname.

Conclusion

Changing the hostname in Linux is a simple process that can be done using various methods. The hostnamectl command is the recommended method for modern Linux distributions, while editing the /etc/hostname file directly is an alternative method. Regardless of the method used, it is important to verify the new hostname to ensure that the change was successful.

By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily change the hostname of your Linux system and ensure that it is properly identified on your network.