What is DNS propagation?

DNS propagation is the process by which updates to the Domain Name System (DNS) are propagated throughout the Internet.

For example, if you set up a new DNS A record that points your domain example.com to an IPv4 address like 141.125.193.30, the process by which DNS servers around the world pick up this mapping is called DNS propagation.

The process looks like this:

1. You update your DNS records using a domain registrar like namecheap.com.
2. Each DNS record has a Time to Live (TTL) setting that dictates how long DNS resolvers should cache the information (e.g., the mapping between a domain name and an IP address) before they check back with the authoritative DNS server for updates. This can range from a few seconds to minutes to days.
3. When the TTL expires, DNS resolvers (typically operated by ISPs) will query the authoritative DNS server for updates.

Other notes

Not all DNS resolvers will enforce the TTL settings you configure. They might have their own caching policies which means DNS propagation can take longer in some regions.