A gem that allows you to create, list, and modify local hostnames with ease in Linux and other Unix-based operating systems (more to come)...

Unix-based OS (for now)

This gem is designed primarily for web developers who need to add and modify hostnames to their system for virtual hosts on their local/remote web server. However, it could be of use to other people who would otherwise modify their /etc/hosts file manually and flush the cache.

$ sudo ghost add mydevsite.local
  [Adding] mydevsite.local -> 127.0.0.1

$ sudo ghost add staging-server.local 67.207.136.164
  [Adding] staging-server.local -> 67.207.136.164

$ ghost list
Listing 2 host(s):
  mydevsite.local      -> 127.0.0.1
  staging-server.local -> 67.207.136.164

$ sudo ghost delete mydevsite.local
  [Deleting] mydevsite.local

$ sudo ghost delete_matching test
  [Deleting] test2.local
  [Deleting] test.local

$ ghost list
Listing 1 host(s):
  staging-server.local -> 67.207.136.164

$ sudo ghost modify staging-server.local 64.233.167.99
  [Modifying] staging-server.local -> 64.233.167.99

$ ghost list
Listing 1 host(s):
  staging-server.local -> 64.233.167.99

$ ghost export > some_file

$ ghost empty
  [Emptying] Done.

$ ghost list
Listing 0 host(s):

$ ghost import some_file
  [Adding] staging-server.local -> 64.233.167.99

$ ghost list
Listing 1 host(s):
  staging-server.local -> 64.233.167.99

With RVM, you need to add rvmsudo before the command:

$ rvmsudo ghost add mydevsite.local
  [Adding] mydevsite.local -> 127.0.0.1

There is also a library that can be used in Ruby scripts. The ghost command is a wrapper for the library. View the source of bin/ghost to see how to use the library.

gem install ghost

Using sudo may be necessary in some circumstances, depending on your setup (for example, using the stock Ruby that comes on OS X).

A list of contributors can be found here..

Copyright (c) 2008-2013 Bodaniel Jeanes

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.