TTL

Abbreviation · Development

Definitions

  1. Time to Live — a counter or timestamp that limits the lifespan of data. In DNS, TTL specifies how long a resolver should cache a record (in seconds). In IP packets, TTL limits the number of hops to prevent infinite routing loops. In caching, TTL defines when cached data expires and must be refreshed.

    In plain English: A timer that tells systems when data expires and should be refreshed, used in DNS, caching, and networking.

    Example: "Set the DNS TTL to 300 seconds before the migration — during the cutover, you want changes to propagate within 5 minutes."

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