When migrating or launching a new website, it's crucial to test the site before updating the Domain Name System (DNS) records. This ensures that the new site works correctly and looks as expected, preventing potential disruptions for users. This article guides you through the process of testing your website without altering the DNS records.
Article Index
Introduction to DNS Testing
Modifying the Hosts File for Testing
Best Practices
Conclusion
Introduction to DNS Testing
Testing before updating DNS allows developers and site managers to identify and rectify issues, ensuring a smooth transition. Without this step, you risk exposing users to a site that may have broken links, display errors, or even critical functional issues.
Editing the hosts file in your operating system is important when working on web hosting-related tasks for several reasons:
Testing Website Changes Locally: By editing the hosts file, you can map domain names to specific IP addresses on your local machine. This is useful for testing changes to a website before making those changes live. You can point a domain to a local server or a staging environment to see how your updates will behave without affecting the actual live website.
Previewing Websites Before DNS Propagation: When you're migrating a website to a new hosting provider or making DNS changes, it takes some time for the changes to propagate across the internet. Editing the hosts file allows you to preview the website at its new location before the DNS changes have fully propagated.
Bypassing DNS Resolution: Sometimes, DNS resolution issues can prevent you from accessing a website. By editing the hosts file, you can bypass DNS and specify the IP address directly, helping you troubleshoot and access a website even if there are DNS-related problems.
Development and Debugging: Web developers often use the hosts file to set up virtual hosts for local development. This allows them to work on multiple projects with different domain names locally without having to set up a separate server for each.
Temporary Redirects: You can use the hosts file to set up temporary redirects. For example, if you're working on a website redesign and want to show a new version to a client without making it live, you can redirect their domain to the updated site using the hosts file.
Modifying the Hosts File for Testing
Now let’s see how to edit your hosts file depending on your operating system:
For this, you will need your server's IP address, which you can get by going to https://my.rapyd.cloud/ > Your site > Tools > Domains > Custom Domains > Add Custom Domain. A popup will appear containing the IP address.
Do not add the domain yet. Just copy the IP address and close the popup.
Windows
Windows
Open Notepad as Administrator: To make changes to the hosts file, you need administrative privileges. Right-click on the Notepad icon in the Start menu and select "Run as administrator".
Locate the Hosts File: Navigate to the directory
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc; in this folder, you'll find a file named "hosts" with no file extension. Make a copy of this file before making any changes to serve as a backup.
Open the Hosts File in Notepad: In Notepad, go to "File" and select "Open." Navigate to the directory mentioned above and choose the "hosts" file. By default, Notepad may not display text files; select "All Files (.)" from the file type dropdown.
Edit the Hosts File: The hosts file contains lines of text with IP addresses followed by one or more domain names. To add a new mapping, enter the desired IP address followed by a space and the domain name. For example:
127.0.0.1 example.com
Save the Changes: After making your edits, save the hosts file. In Notepad, click on "File" and select "Save." If you encounter issues saving the file, it might be due to file permissions. Ensure that Notepad is running with administrator privileges.
Linux
Linux
Open the Terminal: Launch the terminal on your Linux system. You can typically find it in the applications menu or use a keyboard shortcut like Ctrl+Alt+T.
Navigate to the Hosts File: Use the
cdcommand to navigate to the directory containing the hosts file. The hosts file is usually located in the/etcdirectory.
Open the Hosts File with Nano: Open the hosts file using the Nano text editor. Since editing system files requires administrative privileges, you'll need to use
sudo:
sudo nano hosts
Navigate and Make Edits in Nano: Nano is a simple text editor that runs in the terminal. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the location where you want to make changes. Add new mappings in the following format:
127.0.0.1 example.com
Save Changes in Nano: To save changes in Nano, press Ctrl+O, then press Enter. If prompted for a filename, confirm by pressing Enter. To exit Nano, press Ctrl+X.
macOS
macOS
Open Terminal: Launch the Terminal application on your macOS system. You can find it in the Utilities folder within the Applications folder, or use Spotlight (Cmd+Space, then type "Terminal").
Navigate to the Hosts File: Use the
cdcommand to navigate to the directory containing the hosts file. The hosts file is located in the/etcdirectory.
cd /etc
Open the Hosts File with Nano: Open the hosts file using Nano. Since editing system files requires administrative privileges, use
sudoand enter your password when prompted:
sudo nano hosts
Navigate and Make Edits in Nano: Nano is a straightforward text editor. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the location where you want to make changes. Add new mappings in the following format:
127.0.0.1 example.com www.example.com
Save Changes in Nano: To save changes in Nano, press Ctrl+O, then press Enter. If prompted for a filename, confirm by pressing Enter. To exit Nano, press Ctrl+X.
Testing Changes
Open a web browser and navigate to the domain you've mapped in the hosts file. It should now resolve to the IP address you specified.
If the web browser isn't taking you to the site being tested, you might need to flush your DNS cache. In such case, please refer to this article: How to Flush DNS Cache
Reverting Changes
It is important to revert the changes once you are done testing. Leaving custom mappings can lead to issues in the future (such as real DNS changes not taking effect on your computer).
To revert changes, all you need to do is delete the lines you added from the hosts file and save changes. Alternatively, you can comment out the line by placing a "#" at the beginning of the line:
Best Practices:
Clear Cache: Always clear your browser's cache before testing to ensure you're viewing the latest version.
Check Links: Make sure all internal and external links work as expected.
Test Forms and Functions: If you have contact forms, sign-ups, or other interactive elements, test them.
Cross-Browser and Device Testing: Ensure compatibility across different browsers and devices.
Conclusion:
Testing your website before making DNS changes is crucial to ensure a seamless transition and maintain a good user experience. Whether you're launching a new site or migrating an existing one, always prioritize this testing phase to mitigate potential issues. Remember to revert any temporary changes (like hosts file modifications) once your tests are complete and before you make the DNS switch.