# Product Context: hosts ## Why This Project Exists Managing the `/etc/hosts` file is a common task for developers, system administrators, and power users, but it's traditionally done through manual text editing. This approach has several pain points: - **Error-prone**: Manual editing can introduce syntax errors or accidentally break existing entries - **Inefficient**: No quick way to activate/deactivate entries for testing different configurations - **Poor organization**: Large hosts files become difficult to navigate and maintain - **No validation**: Easy to introduce invalid IP addresses or malformed entries - **Limited functionality**: No built-in DNS resolution or IP comparison features ## Problems It Solves 1. **Safe Editing**: Provides validation and structured editing to prevent hosts file corruption 2. **Quick Testing**: Easy activation/deactivation of entries for testing different network configurations 3. **Organization**: Visual interface for sorting, reordering, and categorizing entries 4. **DNS Integration**: Automatic IP resolution and comparison for CNAME-like functionality 5. **User Experience**: Modern TUI interface that's faster and more intuitive than text editing ## How It Should Work ### Core User Experience - **Two-pane interface**: Left pane shows all entries, right pane shows details of selected entry - **Visual indicators**: Clear distinction between active/inactive entries - **Keyboard-driven**: Efficient navigation and editing without mouse dependency - **Safe operations**: All changes validated before writing to system files ### Key Workflows 1. **Viewing Mode (Default)**: - Read-only access to `/etc/hosts` - Browse and inspect entries safely - No system permissions required 2. **Edit Mode**: - Activated explicitly by user - Requests sudo permissions when enabled - Maintains permissions until edit mode is exited - All modification operations available 3. **Entry Management**: - Toggle entries active/inactive with simple keypress - Reorder entries by dragging or keyboard shortcuts - Sort by IP address, hostname, or comments - Add/edit comments for documentation 4. **DNS Operations**: - Store DNS names alongside IP addresses - Resolve DNS names to current IP addresses - Compare resolved IPs with stored IPs - User choice when IPs differ ## User Experience Goals - **Immediate productivity**: Users should be able to accomplish common tasks within seconds - **Error prevention**: Interface should make it difficult to create invalid configurations - **Confidence**: Users should feel safe making changes without fear of breaking their system - **Efficiency**: Common operations should require minimal keystrokes - **Clarity**: Current state and available actions should always be obvious - **Flexibility**: Support both quick edits and complex reorganization tasks ## Success Metrics - Users can activate/deactivate entries faster than manual editing - Zero corrupted hosts files due to application usage - Users prefer the TUI over manual editing for hosts management - DNS resolution features save time in dynamic IP environments