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LFCS · Question #450

Which of these are name resolution related files? (Choose Two)

The correct answer is A. /etc/hosts B. /etc/nsswitch.conf. /etc/hosts provides static hostname-to-IP mappings, and /etc/nsswitch.conf dictates the lookup order for various naming services, both critical for name resolution.

Submitted by tunde_lagos· Apr 18, 2026Networking

Question

Which of these are name resolution related files? (Choose Two)

Options

  • A/etc/hosts
  • B/etc/nsswitch.conf
  • C/etc/lmhosts
  • D/etc/man
  • E/etc/dns.conf

How the community answered

(35 responses)
  • A
    94% (33)
  • D
    3% (1)
  • E
    3% (1)

Why each option

`/etc/hosts` provides static hostname-to-IP mappings, and `/etc/nsswitch.conf` dictates the lookup order for various naming services, both critical for name resolution.

A/etc/hostsCorrect

The `/etc/hosts` file is a local plain-text file that maps hostnames to IP addresses, providing a static name resolution mechanism before DNS queries.

B/etc/nsswitch.confCorrect

The `/etc/nsswitch.conf` file determines the order and sources (e.g., files, DNS, NIS) that the system uses to look up various types of information, including hostnames, making it central to name resolution configuration.

C/etc/lmhosts

`/etc/lmhosts` is primarily used for NetBIOS name resolution on Windows or Samba systems, not the primary mechanism for general hostname resolution on Linux.

D/etc/man

`/etc/man` is typically a directory containing configuration files for the `man` command (manual pages), unrelated to name resolution.

E/etc/dns.conf

`/etc/dns.conf` is not a standard configuration file for DNS resolution on Linux; `/etc/resolv.conf` is the standard file for specifying DNS servers.

Concept tested: Linux name resolution files

Source: https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man5/hosts.5.html

Topics

#Name Resolution#NSS (Name Service Switch)#Host Files#DNS Client Configuration

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