What Is TTL (Time To Live)?
TTL (Time To Live) is a DNS record setting that specifies how long (in seconds) other DNS servers should cache the record before requesting a fresh copy from the authoritative nameserver. Lower TTL values mean faster propagation of changes but more DNS queries; higher values mean slower updates but reduced server load.
Common TTL values include: 300 seconds (5 minutes — for records that change frequently), 3600 seconds (1 hour — a reasonable default), 86400 seconds (24 hours — for stable records that rarely change).
Strategic TTL management is important when planning DNS changes. Lowering your TTL to 300 seconds a day before a planned change ensures the old records expire from caches quickly, making your changes take effect faster across the internet.
Why This Matters for Startups
Keep your TTL at 3600 (1 hour) for normal operations. Before any planned DNS change — like switching hosting providers, launching a new site, or migrating domains — lower the TTL to 300 at least 24 hours in advance. This ensures that when you make the change, the old DNS records expire quickly from caches worldwide, minimizing downtime. After the change is stable, raise the TTL back to 3600 to reduce DNS query load.
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