There is a fear or hatred of /etc/hosts amongst web developers. A regurgitated origin story about DNS and a perpetuated myth about the HOSTS file, having to do with constantly dynamic IP addresses. But the truth is that the conditions of the internet have changed. As someone who uses static, stored DNS data, and as such possesses a large chunk of historical DNS data, I have proof that, for the websites I may visit, most IP addresses do not change frequently.

Domain names are overrated. Web marketing hype. For example, no one uses a domain name to log into their router. But no one at home is getting internet access without typing an IP address at least once to set up a router. If I want to type a short, memorable name instead of an IP number to reach a computer on the local network I can make an entry in /etc/hosts. Using computers that have no /etc/hosts and no control over DNS sucks. Let web developers use those computers.

How many times have I seen developers copy entire portions of RFC 1035 into their code as a "comment". Too many to count. They will always struggle to understand it.