Pyst

Windows tries as much as it can to keep you safe from potentially harmful websites, or other types of content which can infiltrate, and damage your system. Online activities are guided by the HOSTS file, which is a list of blocked websites Windows refuses to let you access. Editing this file can be done with Notepad, or in specialized applications like Pyst.

The application doesn’t take you through a setup process to enable functionality, which means you can run it from the moment download is done. This keeps system registries clean, so you don’t have to worry about affecting the target PC. As such, it can fit on a thumb drive if you want to carry it around.

The visual design is minimalistic, but intuitive overall. Your workspace is split into two sections, one which enlists all target addresses, while the other section is dedicated to comments. The HOSTS file is loaded by default, so you don’t have to spend any time looking for it, or browsing to that location.

It’s a good idea to create a backup at first. This is easily done through a dedicated feature, which also helps restore them in case everything goes wrong. Additional file operations can be used to save the new HOSTS file in a different location, or merge with an existing one so that both target addresses are saved in a single file.

To add a host, it’s enough to write down the either the IP address, or URL of the target domain in a dedicated field. Upon selection, comments are shown in a side panel, and you’re free to edit details on the spot. Moreover, the application can be set to ask whether to overwrite existing files, save on exit, or remember the backup location.

Taking everything into consideration, we can say that Pyst is a powerful HOSTS editor, with options to create backup file so you don’t mess things up too much. The edit environment is pretty intuitive, with separated target, and comment panels, while adding new domains is done either by IP, or URL.