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hosts/memory-bank/productContext.md
phg 40a1e67949 initial commit
2025-07-29 13:50:55 +02:00

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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