Help / Custom domains
Connect your own domain
Serve your RubyWriter app at a domain you own, like example.com or app.example.com. HTTPS is set up for you automatically.
Before you start
- A Pro or Agency plan.
- A domain you own.
- Access to its DNS settings (at your registrar or DNS provider).
Your app is always available at your-project.rubywriter.io too, with or without a custom domain.
Step 1: Add your domain
- Open your project in RubyWriter.
- Click Domains in the workspace header.
- Enter your domain (for example example.com) and click Add domain.
example.com and www.example.com are separate domains. Add each one you want to use.
Step 2: Create the DNS records
At your DNS provider, add the TXT record (it proves you own the domain) plus one routing record: an A record for a root domain, or a CNAME for a subdomain. The Domains popup shows these exact values for your domain, with copy buttons.
| Type | Name | Value | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| TXT | _rubywriter-verify | The token shown in the Domains popup | Always |
| A | @ | 143.198.245.73 | Root domain (example.com) |
| CNAME | app | cname.rubywriter.io | Subdomain (app.example.com) |
"@" means the root domain itself. For a subdomain, use its first part as the name (for app.example.com, the name is app).
Tips for popular DNS providers
- Cloudflare: set the A or CNAME record to DNS only (grey cloud), not Proxied (orange cloud). Otherwise your domain points at Cloudflare instead of RubyWriter and can't be verified.
- GoDaddy, Namecheap, Squarespace Domains and most others: enter just _rubywriter-verify and @ as names. They add your domain automatically.
- Remove old records for the same name, especially any AAAA (IPv6) records and parking-page or "forwarding" records from your registrar.
Step 3: Verify
Back in the Domains popup, click Verify. DNS changes usually show up within a few minutes, but can occasionally take up to 48 hours. If it doesn't verify yet, wait a bit and try again.
Once verified, visit your domain. The HTTPS certificate is issued automatically on the first visit, which can take up to a minute.
Troubleshooting
- "The TXT record … wasn't found"
- Check the name. Many providers add your domain for you, so entering _rubywriter-verify.example.com creates _rubywriter-verify.example.com.example.com. Use just _rubywriter-verify. Also make sure the value is the token exactly, with no quotes or spaces.
- "example.com points to … instead of RubyWriter"
- Another record is still in charge: an old A record, a registrar parking page or forwarding, or Cloudflare's orange cloud. Remove it, or switch the record to DNS only.
- "example.com doesn't point to RubyWriter yet"
- The A or CNAME record is missing or hasn't propagated yet. Add it and give it a few minutes.
- My provider won't let me add a CNAME for the root domain
- That's normal. Root domains can't use a CNAME. Use the A record instead, or your provider's CNAME flattening / ALIAS record if it has one.
- It verified, but some visitors can't reach it
- Look for a leftover AAAA (IPv6) record for the same name and delete it. Visitors on IPv6 networks follow that record instead of yours.
Removing a domain
Click Remove next to the domain in the Domains popup. RubyWriter stops serving your app there right away. You can then delete the DNS records at your provider. Your app stays available at its rubywriter.io address.