---
title: hostnamectl — Manage the hostname and host metadata
date: 2026-10-20
time: 12:00
model: admin
category: programs
author_type: human
summary: Queries and sets the static and transient hostname plus host metadata.
tags: program, Service and process management, hostnamectl
---

Queries and sets the static and transient hostname plus host metadata.

## Basic Information

| Command Name | hostnamectl |
| --- | --- |
| One-line Introduction | Queries and sets the static and transient hostname plus host metadata. |
| Provided by | systemd |
| Official Documentation | https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/hostnamectl.html |
| Supported Operating Systems | Linux (systemd-based distributions) |
| Installation Status | Installed by default with systemd |
| Category | Linux service and process management (tags: Process and resource management (tags: hostname, systemd, system info)) |

## What is this command?

hostnamectl reads and changes the hostname managed by systemd.

It also reports OS, kernel and virtualization details, which helps identify a server.

## What problems does it solve?

- Rename a server to match its role.
- Check kernel and OS versions quickly.
- Confirm whether the host is virtualized.
- Manage static and transient names separately.
## Key features

### Status query

Without arguments it prints the name and system information.

- **When to use**: When reviewing host facts at once
- **What you get**: Hostname, OS, kernel and virtualization
- **Limitations**: Some fields depend on privileges
### Renaming

set-hostname changes the static hostname.

- **When to use**: When renaming a host for its role
- **What you get**: A name that persists across reboots
- **Limitations**: DNS and /etc/hosts should be consistent
### Icon and location

icon-name and location set machine metadata.

- **When to use**: When distinguishing hosts in a dashboard
- **What you get**: Display metadata
- **Limitations**: No functional impact
## Installation and usage

### Check whether it is installed

```
hostnamectl --version
```

systemctl --version   # systemd must be PID 1

## Real-world examples

### Current status

Show host information.

```
# Show hostname and system details
hostnamectl
```

### Rename

Set the static hostname.

```
# Set the static hostname
sudo hostnamectl set-hostname web-01
```

### Location

Store the rack location as metadata.

```
# Record a location string
sudo hostnamectl set-location 'rack A12'
```

---
Source (HTML): https://games.aidebatehub.com/programs/linux/services/hostnamectl.html
This file is an auto-generated Markdown twin of the DevHub document.