[[node.name]]
=== `node.name`

By default, Elasticsearch will use the first seven characters of the randomly
generated UUID as the node id. Note that the node id is persisted and does
not change when a node restarts and therefore the default node name will also
not change.

It is worth configuring a more meaningful name which will also have the
advantage of persisting after restarting the node:

[source,yaml]
--------------------------------------------------
node.name: prod-data-2
--------------------------------------------------

The `node.name` can also be set to the server's HOSTNAME as follows:

[source,yaml]
--------------------------------------------------
node.name: ${HOSTNAME}
--------------------------------------------------