Root domains, www and redirects
DNS forbids a CNAME at the root. CustomDomain™ uses each provider's ALIAS-style record, or A records where none exists.
For support leads, platform engineers and docs leads. ALIAS-style roots work at providers such as Cloudflare, Porkbun and DNSimple.
Root domain jobs, provider by provider
Each job with its records, its fit and the docs page behind it.
Roots through ALIAS-style records
Providers with a CNAME-like record at the root, named ALIAS, ANAME or CNAME flattening. The pre-flight names the provider's record type, and sign-in and API key writes use it.
ALIAS acme.com edge.customdomain.aiFull fitDocs: Root domains (apex)Connect a root domain with ALIAS recordsForward a whole domain over HTTPS
Send an old brand or campaign domain to another URL with a 301, keeping path and query. On Growth and up the edge answers the redirect itself without contacting an origin.
Roots through A records
GoDaddy, IONOS, Amazon Route 53 and most registrar panels have no root CNAME type, so the root gets A records. On your own infrastructure, list up to four addresses, or the root is refused and www is offered.
Root and www together
Both acme.com and www.acme.com work, and the edge answers the root with a 301 to www, path and query kept, on Growth and up. The redirect runs from the root to www.
Parking and forwarding at the root
Registrars often fill the root with a parking page or URL forwarding that has to go first. The check recognizes common parking records, and the provider steps say what to delete.
Leftover AAAA records
An old AAAA record keeps sending IPv6 visitors to the previous host. The check treats it as blocking. The edge itself publishes no IPv6 address.
Where your customers' DNS is hosted
Six common providers and the way in each one offers.
| DNS provider | Way in today |
|---|---|
| Cloudflare | sign in |
| Porkbun | api key |
| DNSimple | sign in |
| GoDaddy | api key |
| IONOS | api key |
| Amazon Route 53 | api key |
Common questions
Can a root domain use a CNAME?
No. DNS forbids a CNAME at the root, because the root already holds the zone's SOA and NS records. Providers offer ALIAS, ANAME or CNAME flattening instead, or the root uses A records.
What happens at a provider with no ALIAS-style record?
The root gets A records to the edge's addresses. On your own infrastructure it gets A records to the addresses you list, and without them the widget steers your customer to www or a subdomain.
Do both acme.com and www.acme.com work?
Yes, with the www redirect on. The record set gains a www CNAME and the edge answers the root with a 301 to www. Serving through the edge is on Growth and up.
Cloudflare, Porkbun, DNSimple, GoDaddy and other names on this page are trademarks of their owners. CustomDomain™ is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Facts about other products were read from their public pages on October 30, 2026.
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