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If you are currently reading this, then there's a good chance that you already know what hosts or host files are - those simple yet instrumental text files used by your computer's OS to map hostnames and host domains and addresses.

SwitchHosts! is a modern-looking and smooth-running, Electron-based application that helps you edit, manage and create custom host files and connect to online host sources with the least amount of effort.

You can get started with this utility right away since it does not require any type of installation or configuration on your part. Please note that in order for the application to work, you are required to launch it with full system rights.

Once launched, the app greets you with its intuitive graphical user interface that features a typical layout for apps of this sort.

Put simply, the main window of the app is split into two main parts: the left-sided panel is the place where you can access and manage all your system or remote host files or entries, as well as enable or disable them, while the right side is the actual host editor.

You should know that once started, the app automatically picks up and displays your system's default hosts and backs them up. This is a good moment to point out that you can also set up local hosts or connect to remote host sources with no more than a few mouse clicks.

To create a local host file, simply click the plus-shaped button from the app's left sided panel, select 'Local', and provide the title.

The file should be generated in practically no time and you can effortlessly start changing its contents with the help of the useful editor with syntax highlighting capabilities.

Connecting to remote hosts files can be done almost as easily, by clicking the same button, choosing the 'Remote' option and input the file's URL and pick a title.

Before the connection is established, you can also decide to refresh the content of the remote host files automatically at intervals ranging from 1 hour to 24 hours, all the way up to once a week.

Last but not least, it is worth mentioning that this straightforward application also enables you to import host files and export them to .JSON formats.

To conclude, SwitchHosts! is a novice-accessible, useful and modern piece of software that makes it as simple as possible for you to create, edit and export local host files, as well as connect to remote sources from within its user-friendly interface or directly from your computer's taskbar.