Understanding localhost

Everyone has used localhost. But few have explicitly thought about and written down what it really means. 

localhost is a reserved domain name that the OS maps to itself; typically 127.0.0.1 for IPv4 and ::1 for IPv6.

It bypasses DNS as requests to localhost never go out to the Internet. The OS resolves it internally.

Localhost traffic is routed through a virtual network interface that loops packets back into the machine without touching any physical network hardware.

Developers run local servers (e.g. localhost:3001) to test code quickly, safely and without exposing anything to the Internet.

Change Font Size in Terminal on Windows 11

Changing font size in the Terminal in Windows 11 is a multistep process.  It is an important skill for developers.

1. Press the DOWN ARROW on the menu bar

2. Go to SETTINGS

3. Select the THREE BARS at the top left

4. Select the appropriate profile  (COMMAND PROMPT, as opposed to e.g. Windows PowerShell, Azure Cloud Shell).

5. Click Appearance and Edit Font Size (Default is 12 point, 10 point better for development tasks).