[scrappyjoe]

Three things I can see. Yes, I know these are achieved by using .ssh/config etc, I am just answering as a public service.

1. It links up addresses to host names so that you don’t have to remember ip addresses of servers. 2. It makes it easy to create keys and attach those keys to particular hosts, so reduces the effort required to separate keys depending on your host 3. It makes key rotation fairly easy 4. It replaces the ssh command syntax with a k8s or docker-like syntax for executing remote commands or entering a shell. So I suppose you don’t need to context switch?

[insaneirish]

> It links up addresses to host names so that you don’t have to remember ip addresses of servers.

Um.

[felbane]

Just imagine that DNS doesn't exist. Or hosts files. Or `~/.ssh/config`...

[ozim]

Well I can imagine working in a cheapo shop where you cannot have public technical domain or setting up DNS is "too much to spend on".

But hostfile well if you have to share it with 2-3 other people might be a hassle?

[usrbinbash]

That's why ssh config allows setting up alias names for servers.