On a Windows or UNIX-like system, which utility directly displays the local computer’s host name?

Introduction / Context:
Knowing a machine's local host name is useful for identification, scripting, and network diagnostics. Different tools expose different aspects of the networking stack; selecting the direct one prevents confusion.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Command-line environment available (Windows, Linux, macOS, BSD).
• User wants the local system's configured host name, not routing or session stats.

Concept / Approach:
The utility that directly prints the system's host name is commonly named "hostname". On Windows PowerShell and Command Prompt, "hostname" prints the NetBIOS/host name; on UNIX-like systems, the same command reports the configured host name per system settings.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
On UNIX-like systems, you can also check files or commands such as /etc/hostname, scutil --get ComputerName (macOS), or uname -n. On Windows, echo %COMPUTERNAME% also shows the system name, but "hostname" is the direct utility across platforms.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• NBTSTAT: Displays NetBIOS over TCP/IP statistics and name tables, not a simple universal host name printout.
• Netstat: Shows network connections, routing tables, and interface statistics.
• PING: Sends ICMP echo requests; while you can ping a host name, it does not reveal the local host name directly.
• None of the above: Incorrect because the dedicated command exists: hostname.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing environment variables (e.g., COMPUTERNAME) with a cross-platform utility; relying on tools that show remote names rather than the local system's configured name.

Final Answer:
Hostname