view my website prior to pointing the domain name at it

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IMH Support Agent 2
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Hello KCMoore,

Thanks for the question about viewing your website prior to pointing the domain name at it.  You can use the Temporary URL to view your site, but it will depend on the software that you are using.  Some software for creating website can tolerate using a different URL for setup or access.  Others will not. I often tell people to modify their HOSTS file. You can then point your domain name to a different location without actually making it public.  

The other thing you can do also depends on the software you're using to create your website. You would go ahead and make the URL public. Then, in the software you would set up what's called a Maintenance Mode. This can be a plugin, or simply a page that is used to announce that the site is upcoming. In WordPress, there are many plugins that can do this. Some even limit the access to the rest of the site and can allow certain people for evaluation or development purposes. 

The main advantage with either the HOSTS file modification or the Maintenance Mode style plugin is that it allows you immediately make your domain URL active. Once you're ready to go, making it active can be done without any delay.  If you're trying to use another method and wait, there's usually a minimum of a few hours before the domain is available to be viewed on the internet.  This delay is known as domain propagation.   I hope this helps to explain the issue and provide you some options. 


If you have any further questions or comments, please let us know.


Kindest regards,

Arnel C.