Hostname vs Name Server – Before the difference between Hostname vs Name Server let us discuss what is hostname and what is nameserver

What is Hostname?

Hostname is a name assigned to a device connected to a network.

It is a unique identifier that identifies a hardware device on a network. Just like we are called by different names for identification, computers on a network are also assigned names so that they could be easily distinguished from one another. These names, in the reference of the Internet, are called hostnames.

In that context, a hostname is a domain name that points to the IP address. It can be the name of your computer or server and can be as long as 255 characters, containing numbers and letters.

It refers to a host on a network and can be used to describe both physical addresses and network nodes.

Computers use IP addresses to identify and communicate with other computers, but humans need hostnames to identify the computers. Every computer within a domain is assigned a distinct hostname which is unique to that particular device.

Key Components of a Hostname:

1. Uniqueness: In a local network, each hostname should be unique to avoid confusion or conflicts.
2. Human-readability: It is designed to be easily remembered and recognized by humans. Instead of recalling a numeric string like ‘192.168.1.1’, it’s easier to remember a name like ‘Johns-PC’ or ‘Server01’.
3. Domain Association: On the internet, it is usually associated with domain names. For instance, ‘www’ is a hostname for many websites, and when paired with a domain like ‘example.com’, it forms a complete address – ‘www.example.com’.

What is Name Server?

Name servers are a part of the DNS, which act like a directory that maintains a database of all the devices and the IP addresses linked to them.

A name server is a server component of the DNS that helps connect URLs with the IP addresses of web servers. These are dedicated servers on the web that help you find websites by a domain name.

Think of name servers as contact lists on your phone – instead of memorizing each and every phone number you simply assign a name to a phone number which makes it easy to identify the person to which the number is linked.

Similarly, name servers are used to direct traffic on the Internet by assigning IP addresses to simple, easy to understand domain names. This way you just have to remember domain names instead of IP addresses.

They are specialized servers that handle queries from the local host about the various services of the domain name.

Hostname vs Name Server: Comparison Chart

S.no	Hostname	Name Server
1	Hostname is a unique name assigned to a device connected to a network.	Name servers are dedicated servers on the web that help you to find websites by a domain name.
2	Hostname is a domain name that points to the IP address of a hardware device on a network.	Server component of the DNS that helps to connect URLs with the IP addresses of web servers.
3	Hostnames can be used to describe both physical addresses and network nodes.	Name Servers store all the files containing information about the domain names and their corresponding IP addresses.