You are using the `.local` DNS top-level domain. This domain is reserved for multicast DNS (**mDNS**) mostly used for [Link-local addresses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link-local_address) and defined not be be served by any DNS server. This is managed by **avahi** and implies that there is no DHCP server present on the subnet and there is no DNS server serving the `.local` top level domain. All devices on the subnet have ip addresses from the subnet 169.254.0.0/16.

The local DNS resolver is managed with the file `/etc/resolv.conf`. You can tell the resolver to always append a default domain if the queried DNS name isn't full qualified. These options are
>**domain** Local domain name  
**search** Search list for host-name lookup

For its specific use look at `man resolv.conf`. This way you can omit typing the domain name `.local`.

But there is a problem with modifying `/etc/resolv.conf`. This file is mostly modified by resolver configuration programs like `resolvconf` or `openresolv` or `systemd-resolved.service` to manage changed DNS server entries on mobile devices. They will always overwrite your settings in resolv.conf. You have to determine what configuration options of that programs will set **domain** and/or **search** entries in resolv.conf.

If you do not use a resolver configuration program you can just edit `/etc/resolv.conf`.