Custom Domains & DNS

DanubeData lets you put your own domain in front of your Static Sites, Rapids (serverless) containers, and Managed Apps, with automatic TLS via Let's Encrypt. This page explains how to connect a custom domain the durable way, and how to check whether an existing domain needs updating.

The short version

• Point your domain with a CNAME (for subdomains) or an ALIAS/ANAME record (for root domains) at your product's DanubeData hostname — not at a raw IP address.
• A hostname lets us move the underlying infrastructure without you ever touching your DNS again. A fixed A record to an IP ties your domain to one address, and it will stop working if that address ever changes.

How domains connect

When you add a custom domain in the dashboard you complete two steps:

1. Verify ownership — add the _danubedata-verify TXT record shown in your dashboard.
2. Route traffic — point the domain at your product's DanubeData hostname.

The hostname to use depends on the product:

The exact record for your specific domain is always shown in the dashboard Domains tab — that is the authoritative source.

Subdomains (www, app, api, …)

Create a CNAME record pointing at your product hostname:

www.example.com   CNAME   your-site.pages.danubedata.ro

Root / apex domains (example.com)

Root domains can't use a CNAME. Use an ALIAS or ANAME record instead — most modern DNS providers (Cloudflare, Route 53, DNSimple, deSEC, …) support one of these — pointing at the same product hostname:

example.com   ALIAS   your-site.pages.danubedata.ro

• Cloudflare — a proxied CNAME on the root is flattened to an A/AAAA automatically, so it works too.
• If your DNS provider does not support ALIAS/ANAME, contact support — we'll help you find a workaround.

Action required: infrastructure migration

If a custom domain currently uses an A record pointing at a fixed IP address, please switch it to a CNAME or ALIAS as described above.

We are migrating parts of our infrastructure, and the IP addresses that some older custom domains point to directly will change. Domains connected by CNAME or ALIAS to a DanubeData hostname are unaffected — they follow the move automatically. Domains hard-wired to an IP with an A record will go offline when the address changes unless they're updated first.

How to check a domain

For a subdomain, ask specifically for its CNAME record:

dig +short CNAME www.example.com

• If it returns the DanubeData hostname shown in your dashboard, you're all set.
• If it returns nothing, check the record type in your DNS provider. Replace pinned A or AAAA records with the CNAME shown in the dashboard.

For a root / apex domain, public DNS normally exposes only the flattened A and AAAA answers. Those answers cannot prove whether your provider is using a durable ALIAS/ANAME or a pinned address. Check the record type in your DNS provider's dashboard and confirm it is an ALIAS, ANAME, or flattened CNAME pointing to the DanubeData hostname. The domain status in DanubeData can confirm that the public answers currently match, but it cannot distinguish those provider-side configurations.

Root domains that can't use ALIAS

Some registrars only allow A records on the root of a domain. If that's your situation and you use your apex domain (for example example.com with no www), please contact support — these are migrated individually and are our top priority.

We're also reaching out to affected customers directly. If you're not sure whether one of your domains is affected, just ask and we'll check for you.

Troubleshooting

• Certificate error after switching — the TLS certificate re-provisions automatically once the new record resolves, usually within 1–2 minutes. See your product's domain guide for TLS status details.
• Using Cloudflare — for the initial switch, DNS-only mode (grey cloud) is the most predictable; you can re-enable the proxy afterwards.
• Change not taking effect — DNS changes can take up to 24 hours to propagate, though they're usually much faster. Confirm with dig +short your-domain.com.

Next steps

• Static Sites: Custom Domains
• Serverless Custom Domains
• Networking overview

Questions? Contact support at support@danubedata.ro