Many website owners around the world are quick to buy the best domain name for their websites. However, they don’t know what is DNS cache is or its importance in website development. In the technological world we live in, it is pretty common to be aware of all the terminologies and keywords. Even though we know how to use basic computer devices, understanding all their actions and reactions is a different ball game.
Domain Name System (DNS) cache is temporary storage for info regarding all the previous look-ins of a machine’s operating system or internet browser. By checking a particular website continuously, your machine’s operating system has a local copy of it. As a result, when you open that website the next time, your operating system can retrieve it quickly. Therefore, the website’s URL can coincide with your system’s IP address effectively. The primary responsibility of all different types of caches is practically the same.
Importance of DNS Caching
Firstly, the clearance of caches is essential for guaranteeing efficient access to web pages. If the web page changed its location since its IP address was cached, the web browser might display the HTML 404 error. Even though the website has an online status, the cache gives the browser an inaccurate IP address. This prevents the user to interact with the active page.
Secondly, the clearance of caches is vital for improving network security. Most operating systems, such as Windows and almost all other internet devices, can create a cache. Although this ability is for the maintenance of DNS lookup efficiency, it shows that the operating system and the internet browser have a compilation of website activity whether they know about it or not. By deleting all of the previous DNS records, you will disable the malicious agents from abusing your personal information.
One of the biggest reasons to flush DNS cache is important is to improve your site page’s loading speed. When you open a website for the first time, it will display a small image of that website so that it is easier for the system to pull up when you revisit it. However, caches may also be the reason why your website has a low loading speed. Especially when you have published content or any high-quality image, the visitors may experience a low loading speed of that website. As a result, you may get a low Google pagespeed insight score.
The reason behind the low insight score is that the small image initially created by your machine’s operating system may create a conflict with the changes made to the website. As a result, you have to either look for a different browser or consider browsing in private mode. If you want to improve your website’s loading speed, make sure to clear your DNS cache.
How to Check our DNS?
If you want to be checking your DNS cache, you simply need to go through the set of instructions that your operating system has in store. Every operating system has a sequence of instructions to view the contents of a specified cache. This process is pretty routine for mainstream developers around the world. Depending on the operating system you use and the website platforms that you have visited, you can view the DNS contents by going through the following instructions:
1. Windows
For checking your DNS cache on Windows, you simply need to go to the command prompt, where you will type the command “ipconfig /displaydns.”. After clicking on “Enter”, you will be able to see all of the DNS records.
2. Mac
- After opening the terminal app, type the command “sudo discoveryutil udnscachestats,”.
- Input your password
- This will display the unicast cache.
- When you are done with the scrolling of results, you can close it, reopen it and type the command “sudo discoveryutil mdnscachestats,”
- Input your password
- Visualize all of the multicast cache results
3. Linux
Unlike Windows and Mac, Linux doesn’t create the cache automatically. However, it has applications at its disposal to provide this service.
Strikingly is a website builder that has been working extremely hard regarding website statistics. Recently, our technical staff has tried to focus on optimizing website speed. If we talk about Google pagespeed score, most of our websites have a score of 90 or above. A high insight score means that your website is doing great in terms of SEO, and you are getting positive customer feedback on both your desktop and mobile versions.
Purpose of DNS Caching
The internet always relies on the registered domain names to maintain an index of all the websites alongside their corresponding IP addresses. Basically, the internet considers the registered domain names like a phonebook. It takes into account all of the necessary details of a website.
With a phonebook, you don’t need to remember every person’s phone number. It is the only thing with which mobile phones interact with each other. Similarly, checking your DNS cache will help you avoid memorizing all of the website’s IP addresses, which is the only way operating systems interact with websites.
To speed up a slow website, you must understand what is DNS cache. When you ask your browser to load a particular website (strikingly.com). Your web browser will ask your router to provide the IP address. The DNS server has already stored the DNS server address. Therefore, it tells the DNS server to provide the IP address of the hostname. The DNS server will be able to fetch the required IP address of strikingly.com, which will make it understand the website you are asking for. This will allow the browser to load the required web page.
This cycle repeats for every website that you visit. Every time you open a website of a particular hostname, the web browser will send a request to the internet. However, the request will not be guaranteed completion unless the site’s name is fully converted into an IP address.
Manage DNS Records on Strikingly Website
A reliable website builder, such as Strikingly, is always available for checking your DNS cache and other DNS records. To manage your DNS records, Strikingly ticks all the boxes. Below is a guide with bullet points to help you check the required DNS records with the Strikingly site. If you don’t have a domain yet, you can buy and register your own respective custom domain.
Image taken from Strikingly
- Go to the Strikingly dashboard
- Click on the tab of “Domain”. On “Domain”, you can check out the following:
- Domain Status
- Domain’s Contact Info and Registration Details
- Domain’s Renewal Details
- DNS Manager
Image taken from Strikingly
- You need to check your domain status. There are several statuses of a particular domain. It can be live, which means that your domain is active. It can be waiting, which means that your domain is in a process of completion. Or, it can be unverified, which suggests that you haven’t verified your contact information. Before proceeding, you must be checking your DNS cache. You must clear your DNS cache before checking the status of your domain.
Image taken from Strikingly
- Speaking of the contact information, you have to check that as well as the registration details. If you want to make changes to your contact details, you can email us at support@strikingly.com. Once you create changes, your domain will be locked for two months (60 days).
Image taken from Strikingly
- You can manage the renewal of your domain.
- You can consider the DNS manager. All you need to do is click on “Settings”, followed by “Open DNS manager”. There, you will be able to manage the DNS records. There are seven types of DNS records that you can integrate:
- CNAME
- SRV
- TXT
- MX
- SPF
- NS.
Image taken from Strikingly
If your website doesn’t go active within 48 hours, you can check out the live chat feature on Strikingly. By heading over to the live chat, you can add a screenshot of your domain issues, which our Happiness Officers will help resolve. We are available 24/7 for you.
Conclusion
To flush DNS cache, you must put a set of commands on your command prompt or terminal, depending on your machine’s operating system. By flushing the cache, it helps troubleshoot some internet connectivity issues and possible security issues caused by unauthorized domains or IP addresses inserted in the DNS cache. Flushing the DNS can also help prevent a complete DNS lookup every time you visit a website, which could potentially cause a slow page load. This procedure only needs to be done once when you enter a particular website. Moreover, your browser will use the DNS’ cached information until the flushing takes place on further requests. If you want to flush your cache, you simply need to follow the instructions relevant to your operating system.
Apart from customizing different website templates, Strikingly also provides you with an opportunity to consider various factors that might affect your experience while making your website. One of those is the management of domain settings. So, don’t waste any time, register yourself on Strikingly and get ready to venture into the world of domains and websites.
