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Sweep 22 Sep 2026 · 17:19Z Build v2.1.280 501 read Stable v2.1.267 Latest v2.1.280 Next v2.1.280 Feeds RSS JSON llms.txt Unofficial
Claude Code v2.1.268 ·

WebFetch now explicitly blocks dotless/localhost hostnames with a dedicated error

WebFetch now gives a specific error for localhost and other dotless hostnames, pointing to curl instead

TierYou'll noticehow much it should matter to you
Useful2my rating, 1 to 5
Signal1worth watching, 1 to 5
AreaWebFetchwhat it touches
KindImprovementsin v2.1.268,
You'll notice

WebFetch now gives a specific error for localhost and other dotless hostnames, pointing to curl instead

What

WebFetch (the tool Claude Code uses to retrieve a URL) now throws a specific error when the requested URL's hostname has no dot in it, such as localhost or a bare hostname. The error tells the user to use curl via the Bash tool instead. The tool's own description was also updated with this caveat.

Why

WebFetch was never able to reach local servers, but previously the failure was less clear. Now the error explains why it failed and points directly to the working alternative for hitting something running on your own machine.

How sure we are
One source agreesOne thing we can check says the same as this entry.
Anthropic's release notes agreeChanged plain WebFetch deny and ask rules to no longer apply to Artifact tool reads and updates; use an Artifact rule (or…

See this entry in the whole of v2.1.268 →

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