Toolbelt Websites aims to keep disruption during launch as small as possible. Many launches can be completed with little or no noticeable downtime, but no responsible provider can promise that every domain, DNS and hosting setup will behave identically.
What might visitors see during launch?
If DNS changes are required, one visitor may reach the new website while another temporarily reaches the previous version. Cached copies can also make an old page appear for a while even when the new website is already live for other people.
This is different from the website necessarily being completely offline. See What is DNS propagation? and How long do DNS changes take?.
How does Toolbelt Websites minimise disruption?
The existing website can normally remain available while the replacement is prepared. The launch is then carried out at the appropriate point rather than taking the existing website down at the start of the project.
Can zero downtime be guaranteed?
No absolute zero-downtime guarantee is made for every possible third-party DNS, hosting or email setup. Unexpected provider or configuration issues can occasionally happen. Toolbelt Websites checks the public website as part of launch and works to resolve anything unexpected.
For the wider launch process, see What happens when my Toolbelt Websites website goes live?.
During a DNS-based launch, some visitors may temporarily reach the old website while others reach the new one while the change propagates. Keeping the existing website available while the replacement is prepared helps reduce avoidable disruption; this brief transition is not necessarily the same as the website being completely offline.
Last updated: 8 September 2026