What is hosts file?

Question

what is hosts file and what is use?
hosts file is place path C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\

please tell me some details.

Answer 1

What is host file show this link. how to use host file

Answer 2

Friend,

My Explanation of Host File In Very Simple Language is below

When you Write Some Website name and Hit  "Go"  button in Browser . your Browser First Check the host File weather the site you have written in Address bar is in host file  or not .if it is listed in host file then it will take the ip address written next to the Website Addressing host file  and Send Request to that IP if The Site you have written in Address bar is not listed in host file then browser have to find its IP From DNS server of your ISP.

so if you know the IP of particular site and You have Written in host File then your browser don't have to query the DNS Server for Getting IP and Browsing will be some what fast then normal as the time taken to look IP From DNS Server is gone :)

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