This is a python library for managing a hosts file. It enables you to add and remove entries, import them from a file or URL and query existing entries. Utility functions have been streamlined for easier maintenance. It remains compatible with Python 2.7 as well as modern Python 3 releases.
The docs are hosted on RTD (Read The Docs) here:
http://python-hosts.readthedocs.org/en/latest/index.html.
Changelog available here.
pip install python-hosts
Create a Hosts instance and add an entry::
from python_hosts import Hosts, HostsEntry
hosts = Hosts(path='hosts_test')
new_entry = HostsEntry(entry_type='ipv4', address='1.2.3.4', names=['www.example.com', 'example'])
hosts.add([new_entry])
hosts.write()
Import entries from a URL or file::
hosts.import_url('https://example.com/hosts')
hosts.import_file('extra_hosts')
hosts.write()
Remove or query entries::
hosts.remove_all_matching(name='example')
hosts.exists(address='1.2.3.4')
Entries can also be merged with existing ones::
new_entry = HostsEntry(entry_type='ipv4', address='1.2.3.4', names=['alias'])
hosts.add([new_entry], merge_names=True)
A command line client using python-hosts can be found here: https://github.com/jonhadfield/hostman
Tested on Python 2.7 and Python 3.5+, including PyPy variants
MIT