HostsX

HostsX is a lightweight macOS utility for managing the system’s hosts file. It offers a menu‑bar interface that lets users import a local hosts file, reset the file to its default state, or replace it with content downloaded from remote sources. Remote sources can be added, set as the default, and synchronized with a single click, while the application preserves a backup of the previous hosts file as hosts_old.

The app supports both English and Simplified Chinese and adapts to macOS dark mode. It requires macOS 10.13 or later for version 2.9.0 and macOS 10.12 or later for earlier releases. Users can protect custom entries by surrounding them with “# My Hosts Start” and “# My Hosts End” markers, ensuring those lines are not overwritten during remote synchronization.

HostsX is distributed under an open‑source license and relies on the Sparkle framework for update handling. It is intended for users who need a simple, local‑only solution to keep their hosts file up to date without manual command‑line editing.