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Using Custom Domains

By default, every application deployed on RepoCloud receives a randomly assigned subdomain on one of our hosting domains, in the format https://<your-app-id>.<hosting-domain> (we use several different domains for auto-generated URLs). However, you can connect your own domain name to provide a professional, branded experience for your users.
Custom domains allow you to use your brand’s domain name while hosting your application on RepoCloud, giving your application a professional appearance and better brand recognition.

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Why Use a Custom Domain?

Professional Branding

Present a cohesive brand identity with your own domain

Better SEO

Establish and maintain search engine optimization

Business Credibility

Enhance trust with a professional domain name

Marketing Consistency

Maintain consistent branding across all channels

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Setting Up a Custom Domain

Adding a custom domain to your RepoCloud application is a straightforward process:
1

Access Domain Settings

Navigate to your application’s management page and click the “Add Custom Domain” button.
2

Add Your Domain

Enter your domain (e.g., app.yourdomain.com) in the input field and click “Submit”.
If you enter a root domain (e.g., yourdomain.com without a subdomain), RepoCloud will warn you that your DNS provider must support ANAME, ALIAS, or CNAME-flattening records, and will offer to use a www subdomain instead. See Using Apex Domains below.
3

Configure DNS Records

RepoCloud displays the exact DNS records you need to add at your domain registrar. You’ll add two CNAME records:
  • A CNAME for your subdomain pointing to your application’s auto-generated address (e.g., app → <your-app-id>.<hosting-domain>.)
  • A CNAME for _acme-challenge pointing to the SSL verification target shown in the dashboard (used to issue your SSL certificate)
Each record includes a copy button, and the dashboard shows a live status indicator for each record.
4

Wait for DNS Propagation

DNS changes can take up to 24-48 hours to propagate globally, though they often take effect much sooner.
5

Confirm and Check Status

Click the “Confirm and Check Status” button in the dashboard. Once both records verify, RepoCloud automatically issues an SSL certificate and routes your domain to your application.
To remove a custom domain later, return to your application’s management page and click “Remove Domain”.

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DNS Record Types Explained

When setting up a custom domain, you may need to configure different DNS record types:
A CNAME (Canonical Name) record maps an alias domain to a true or canonical domain. For RepoCloud, this maps your domain to your application’s auto-generated address.Example: app.yourdomain.com → <your-app-id>.<hosting-domain>.
RepoCloud also asks you to add a CNAME record on the _acme-challenge name of your domain, pointing to the verification target shown in your dashboard. This record allows SSL certificates to be issued and renewed automatically for your domain.Example: _acme-challenge.yourdomain.com → yourdomain.com.<unique-id>.dcv.cloudflare.com.
Apex (root) domains normally cannot use CNAME records. Some DNS providers offer ALIAS or ANAME records, or CNAME flattening, which provide CNAME-like behavior at the apex. These are required if you want to point a root domain (e.g., yourdomain.com) at RepoCloud.

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Using Apex Domains

An apex domain (also called a root domain or naked domain) is a domain without a subdomain prefix, like example.com instead of www.example.com. To use an apex domain with RepoCloud, your DNS provider must support CNAME-like functionality for apex domains through features like:
  • ALIAS records
  • ANAME records
  • CNAME flattening
Some DNS providers, such as GoDaddy, do not support these features. If yours doesn’t, you can:
  • Use a subdomain (like www.yourdomain.com) instead — RepoCloud offers this option automatically when you enter a root domain
  • Point your nameservers to Cloudflare first, or switch to another DNS provider that supports ALIAS/ANAME records (such as Route 53 or DNSimple)
Using www.yourdomain.com instead of just yourdomain.com often provides better flexibility and performance.

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SSL Certificates

RepoCloud automatically provisions and manages SSL certificates for your custom domains:
  • Automatic Provisioning: SSL certificates are automatically issued once your DNS records are verified
  • Automatic Renewal: Certificates are renewed automatically before they expire
  • HTTPS Enforcement: All traffic to your application is served over HTTPS
SSL certificate issuance typically takes a few minutes after DNS verification is complete.

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SSL Certificate Issuance Method

RepoCloud uses DNS-based domain validation for SSL certificate issuance:

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How DNS Validation Works

1

Record Generation

When you add a domain, RepoCloud generates a unique _acme-challenge CNAME target for it
2

Record Creation

You add the _acme-challenge CNAME record (shown in your dashboard) at your DNS provider, alongside the routing CNAME
3

Domain Validation

The certificate authority validates domain control by resolving the _acme-challenge record
4

Certificate Issuance

Once validated, the SSL certificate is issued and applied to your application, and renewals happen automatically as long as the record stays in place
Do not delete the _acme-challenge CNAME record after setup—it is required for automatic certificate renewal.

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Multiple Subdomains on the Same Domain

If you’re using multiple subdomains of the same domain (e.g., app1.yourdomain.com and app2.yourdomain.com) for different RepoCloud applications, there are some important considerations:
Each subdomain must resolve to the correct application, and each application generates its own verification records. This can create complications when you have multiple applications using subdomains of the same root domain.

Use Cloudflare for Multiple Subdomains

We strongly recommend using Cloudflare as your DNS provider when hosting multiple applications on different subdomains of the same domain. Cloudflare’s proxy functionality helps resolve the ACME challenge validation issues.

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Benefits of Using Cloudflare:

  • Proxy Mode: Cloudflare’s proxy capabilities help route SSL validation correctly
  • SSL Flexibility: Better handling of multiple SSL certificates for different subdomains
  • Performance: Additional CDN and caching benefits
  • Security: Additional protection against DDoS and other attacks
To set up Cloudflare for your domain, transfer your nameservers to Cloudflare and enable the proxy setting (orange cloud icon) for each subdomain record.

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Managing Multiple Domains

You can add multiple domains to a single application:
  1. Follow the same process for each domain you want to add
  2. All domains will point to the same application
  3. Each domain will receive its own SSL certificate
This is useful for:
  • Supporting multiple brands or regions
  • Migrating from an old domain to a new one
  • Creating specialized landing pages

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Troubleshooting Custom Domains

  • Verify that you’ve added the correct DNS records at your domain registrar
  • Check for typos in the DNS record values
  • Allow sufficient time for DNS propagation (up to 48 hours)
  • Use a DNS lookup tool like DNS Checker to verify your records are visible
  • Ensure domain verification is complete
  • Check that your DNS records are correctly configured
  • Wait at least 30 minutes for the SSL certificate to be issued
  • If issues persist for more than 24 hours, contact support
  • This typically means the SSL certificate hasn’t been issued yet
  • Verify that DNS configuration is correct
  • Wait for SSL certificate issuance to complete
  • Check that you’re accessing the site via HTTPS, not HTTP

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Next Steps

Environment Variables

Configure application-specific settings through environment variables

Scaling

Learn how to scale your application resources

Updates

Keep your application updated with the latest features and security patches