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6.3. Configuring Host Names Using hostnamectl

The hostnamectl tool is provided for administering the three separate classes of host names in use on a given system.

6.3.1. View All the Host Names

To view all the current host names, enter the following command: Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap 
~]$ hostnamectl status
 The status option is implied by default if no option is given.

6.3.2. Set All the Host Names

To set all the host names on a system, enter the following command as root: Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap 
~]# hostnamectl set-hostname name
 This will alter the pretty, static, and transient host names alike. The static and transient host names will be simplified forms of the pretty host name. Spaces will be replaced with “-” and special characters will be removed.

6.3.3. Set a Particular Host Name

To set a particular host name, enter the following command as root with the relevant option: Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap 
~]# hostnamectl set-hostname name [option...]
 Where option is one or more of: --pretty, --static, and --transient.
If the --static or --transient options are used together with the --pretty option, the static and transient host names will be simplified forms of the pretty host name. Spaces will be replaced with “-” and special characters will be removed. If the --pretty option is not given, no simplification takes place.
When setting a pretty host name, remember to use the appropriate quotation marks if the host name contains spaces or a single quotation mark. For example: Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap 
~]# hostnamectl set-hostname "Stephen's notebook" --pretty

6.3.4. Clear a Particular Host Name

To clear a particular host name and allow it to revert to the default, enter the following command as root with the relevant option: Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap 
~]# hostnamectl set-hostname "" [option...]
 Where "" is a quoted empty string and where option is one or more of: --pretty, --static, and --transient.

6.3.5. Changing Host Names Remotely

To execute a hostnamectl command on a remote system, use the -H, --host option as follows: Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap 
~]# hostnamectl set-hostname -H [username]@hostname
 Where hostname is the remote host you want to configure. The username is optional. The hostnamectl tool will use SSH to connect to the remote system.
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