Understanding DNS: The Internet's Phonebook
DNS propagation is a process that happens behind the scenes when you update or make changes to your website's address on the internet. Imagine the internet as a huge phonebook and the DNS (Domain Name System) as the directory that translates website names (like example.com) into numerical addresses (like 192.168.0.1) that computers understand.
How Long Does DNS Propagation Take?
Short answer: 72 hours or more globally, but US servers usually update within a few hours.
When a website's domain or IP address changes, these updates are shared with all the "phonebooks" (DNS servers) around the world. This sharing process is called DNS propagation. It can take some time (72 hours or more) for all the DNS servers to receive and recognize the updated information.
As a result, during DNS propagation, different people may see different versions of your website depending on which "phonebook" (DNS server) their computer is using. Once the propagation is complete, everyone should see the updated version of your website.