What does host name mean in mail
In the context of email, a hostname (also known as a domain name or fully qualified domain name, FQDN) is a unique identifier that represents a domain or a server on the internet. It's used to identify a specific mail server, mail account, or email service.
A hostname typically consists of two parts:
- Domain name: This is the part that comes after the "@" symbol in an email address. For example, in the email address "[email protected]", "example.com" is the domain name.
- Subdomain: This is an optional part that comes before the domain name. For example, in the email address "[email protected]", "dev" is the subdomain.
When sending or receiving email, the hostname is used to route the message to the correct mail server. Here are some common uses of hostnames in email:
- Mail server hostname: The hostname of a mail server is used to identify the server that handles email for a particular domain. For example, "mail.example.com" might be the hostname of a mail server that handles email for the "example.com" domain.
- Email account hostname: The hostname of an email account is used to identify the specific account on a mail server. For example, "[email protected]" is the hostname of an email account on the "example.com" domain.
- Domain key identifier: The hostname is also used as a unique identifier for a domain in the DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) system, which helps prevent email spoofing and spam.
In summary, a hostname in email is a unique identifier that represents a domain, mail server, or email account on the internet. It's used to route email messages to the correct destination and to identify specific email accounts or servers.