IPNS: best setting for fast update

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Hi guys
I know the topic has been raised more than once, but a lot of time has passed and the information may already be outdated.

Please tell me how to configure nodes to quickly update content. Does Kubo need to be run with --enable-namesys-pubsub?

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Yes, to quickly update content, run Kubo with --enable-namesys-pubsub. This enables IPNS PubSub for faster updates. Use the command:

ipfs daemon --enable-namesys-pubsub

This ensures your node subscribes to and receives IPNS updates promptly.

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You can also enable it via config under Ipns.UsePubsub.

Something I noticed is that most people who report “IPNS is slow” use default 1h cache TTL, or even worse, set it to multiple days.

With that in mind, you can do two things to lower update propagation time:

  • As Publisher: when you publish IPNS Record, the default TTL that controls caching is set to 1h. If you want third-party gateways and nodes to skip cache and look for updates more often, consider lowering this value.
    • Kubo: see --ttl in ipfs name publish --help
    • Note: If you use IPNS Record behind a DNSLink (/ipns/example.com pointing at /ipns/k51..libp2p-key), the DNS TXT record at _dnslink.example.com) has its own TTL, and it will also impact caching. Make sure both TTLs are the same.
  • As Gateway Operator: you should have the ability to override publisher-provided TTL and cap caching resolution results at a lower value.
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