How can I view my site without pointing DNS?

Question

How can I view my site without pointing DNS?

Answer

As long as your domain isn't pointing to an IPv6 address, which can make things more complicated, it is relatively easy to see how your site is going to look once it's pointed. To accomplish this, modify your local computer's hosts file.

We have a complete guide at How to Modify Your Hosts File.

The basic gist is that you want to add a line in the file containing your website's IP address, and the domain and any subdomains that it uses. Here's an example:

1.2.3.4 domain.tld www.domain.tld subdomain.domain.tld addon.tld

 After adding this line to your hosts file and saving it, all you need to do is load your website in the browser.