Custom Domains
Connect your own domain name to your RepoCloud applications
Using Custom Domains
By default, every application deployed on RepoCloud receives a randomly assigned subdomain on one of our hosting domains (for example, your-app.repocloud.app, though the actual domain may vary as we utilize several different domains for auto-generated subdomains). 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.
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
Setting Up a Custom Domain
Adding a custom domain to your RepoCloud application is a straightforward process:
Access Domain Settings
Navigate to your application’s management page and click on the “Custom Domain” tab.
Add Your Domain
Enter your domain (e.g., yourdomain.com or app.yourdomain.com) in the input field and click “Add Domain”.
Verify Domain Ownership
RepoCloud will provide DNS records that you need to add to your domain registrar to verify ownership.
Configure DNS Records
Log in to your domain registrar’s dashboard and add the required DNS records. You’ll typically need to add:
- A CNAME record pointing to your RepoCloud application URL
- TXT records for domain verification
The exact DNS records needed will be displayed in the RepoCloud dashboard.
Wait for DNS Propagation
DNS changes can take up to 24-48 hours to propagate globally, though they often take effect much sooner.
Verification and SSL Setup
Once DNS propagation is complete, RepoCloud automatically verifies your domain and issues an SSL certificate.
DNS Record Types Explained
When setting up a custom domain, you may need to configure different DNS record types:
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:
-
Some DNS providers support CNAME-like functionality for apex domains through features like:
- ALIAS records
- ANAME records
- CNAME flattening
-
If your DNS provider doesn’t support these features, you can:
- Use a subdomain (like
www.yourdomain.com) instead - Consider switching to a DNS provider that supports ALIAS/ANAME records, such as Cloudflare, Route 53, or DNSimple
- Use a subdomain (like
Using www.yourdomain.com instead of just yourdomain.com often provides better flexibility and performance.
SSL Certificates
RepoCloud automatically provisions and manages SSL certificates for your custom domains:
- Automatic Provisioning: SSL certificates are automatically issued once domain verification is complete
- Automatic Renewal: Certificates are renewed automatically before they expire
- Let’s Encrypt Integration: We use Let’s Encrypt to provide industry-standard SSL certificates
- HTTPS Enforcement: All traffic to your application is automatically redirected to HTTPS
SSL certificate issuance typically takes a few minutes after DNS verification is complete.
SSL Certificate Issuance Method
RepoCloud uses the ACME HTTP-01 challenge method for SSL certificate issuance through Let’s Encrypt:
How ACME Challenges Work
Challenge Initiation
When you add a domain, RepoCloud requests a certificate from Let’s Encrypt
Verification File Creation
RepoCloud places a unique verification file on your application’s server
Domain Validation
Let’s Encrypt checks for this file at a specific URL on your domain
Certificate Issuance
Once validated, Let’s Encrypt issues the SSL certificate
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:
When using standard DNS providers, each subdomain must resolve to the correct application for the ACME challenge to succeed. This can create complications when you have multiple applications using subdomains of the same root domain.
Recommended Solution: Cloudflare
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.
Benefits of Using Cloudflare:
- Proxy Mode: Cloudflare’s proxy capabilities help route ACME challenges 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.
Managing Multiple Domains
You can add multiple domains to a single application:
- Follow the same process for each domain you want to add
- All domains will point to the same application
- 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