Hostname & FQDN

Learn about VPS hostname requirements and whether you need a domain name.

Short Answer
What is a Hostname?
Valid Hostname Examples
When Does It Matter?
Setting Your Hostname

Short Answer: No

No - the hostname is an arbitrary identifier for your VPS. It can be either a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) or just a simple name.

What is a Hostname?

A hostname is simply a label that identifies your server on a network. It's what you'll see when you log into your server, and what appears in various system logs and prompts.

Valid Hostname Examples

Simple Hostnames (No Domain Required)

webserver
db01
myserver
production-app

FQDNs (With Domain)

web1.example.com
db.mydomain.org
server.mycompany.net

When Does It Matter?

Use a Simple Hostname When:

You're just getting started and don't have a domain
The server is for testing or development
You don't plan to send email from the server
You're using it for internal purposes only

Use an FQDN When:

You're running a mail server (highly recommended)
You want proper SSL certificates
Running public-facing services
Professional or production environment

Setting Your Hostname

You can set or change your hostname at any time:

On Debian/Ubuntu:

hostnamectl set-hostname your-hostname
# or for FQDN
hostnamectl set-hostname server.yourdomain.com

On CentOS/RHEL:

hostnamectl set-hostname your-hostname
# Edit /etc/hosts if needed
nano /etc/hosts

Verifying Your Hostname:

hostname
# or for FQDN
hostname -f

Email Server Note

If you plan to run an email server, you should use an FQDN as your hostname and ensure it matches your reverse DNS (PTR) record. This helps with email deliverability and reduces the chance of your emails being marked as spam.