Server domains and DNS

Two ways to name your server

When you add a server, the "Use my own domain" toggle on the Domain step decides how the server is addressed. In the "Edit Server" window the same toggle is labelled "Own Domain".

• A cicdoo.com address (toggle off, the default when adding): you enter the server's public IPv4 address. CICDoo creates a cicdoo.com subdomain for the server and one managed DNS record per instance, all pointing at that IP. You do not need to touch DNS. Your instances are reachable on cicdoo.com addresses rather than your own brand.
• Your own domain (toggle on): you enter a hostname you control, for example srv1.example.com, and you create the DNS records with your DNS provider.

Each instance gets a free SSL certificate for its own address in both cases, so ports 80 and 443 must be reachable from the internet.

How instance addresses are built

Every instance replaces the first part of the server's hostname. A server at srv1.example.com publishes an instance built from branch main of repository shop at main-shop.example.com. The Domain step shows a live preview of this as you type.

Because of this:

• Use a subdomain such as srv1.example.com, never your bare root domain. With a root domain, the first part that gets replaced is your domain name itself, and the wizard warns you about it.
• Pick the final hostname before you assign projects. Changing it later, or switching between your own domain and a cicdoo.com address, changes the address of every instance on the server.

Setting up DNS for your own domain

Create the records before you add the server, because CICDoo resolves the hostname the moment you submit, and adding the server fails if it does not resolve yet.

1. At your DNS provider, add an A record for the server hostname (for example srv1.example.com) pointing to the server's IP.
2. Add a wildcard A record for the instance addresses (for example *.example.com) pointing to the same IP. This covers every instance at once.
3. Wait until the hostname resolves, then add the server, see Adding a server.
4. Turn on "Use my own domain" on the Domain step and enter the hostname in Server Hostname.

Enter a hostname only, without http:// or a path. If SSH runs on a port other than 22, add it after a colon, for example srv1.example.com:222. If you type an IP address instead of a hostname, the wizard offers a "Use a cicdoo.com address for this IP" button that switches you to a cicdoo.com address.

Switching an existing server's domain option

1. On the Servers page, click "Actions" on the server card and choose "Edit Server".
2. Go to the Domain step.
3. Turn "Own Domain" on and enter the Domain Name, or turn it off and enter the Server IP Address. When CICDoo manages the address, the assigned cicdoo.com subdomain is shown under the IP field.
4. Click "Save Changes".

Remember that this changes the address of every instance on the server.

Refreshing DNS

Use Refresh DNS after you change where your own domain points, for example after moving the server to a new IP.

1. On the Servers page, click "Actions" on the server card.
2. Click "Refresh DNS".
3. A message confirms the refresh, and the card shows the updated IP address.

For a server on your own domain, CICDoo looks up the hostname again and stores the IP it resolves to. For a server on a cicdoo.com address, the IP you entered is kept as is; change it in Edit Server instead. Deploying a server on your own domain also refreshes its DNS first. Workspace members need the "Edit server settings" permission.

Cloudflare proxy considerations

If your domain is proxied through Cloudflare (orange cloud), the hostname resolves to Cloudflare's addresses rather than your server. In that case:

1. Open "Advanced network options" on the Domain step of the add or edit window.
2. Turn on Cloudflare Proxy.
3. Enter the server's real address in Connectivity IP. Without it, SSH breaks and CICDoo cannot recognise the server when it calls back. You can enter several addresses separated by commas if the server connects out through a different address than it listens on; the first one is used for SSH.

With proxying on, CICDoo skips SSL certificate generation and relies on Cloudflare for HTTPS.

Re-issuing the SSL certificate

The Maintenance step of the add and edit windows has a Force Generate SSL (next deploy) toggle. When it is on, CICDoo re-issues the server's certificate on the next deploy even if a valid one already exists, then the toggle switches itself off after a successful deploy. This can help after a domain change.

1. Open "Edit Server" from the server's Actions menu and go to the Maintenance step.
2. Turn on "Force Generate SSL (next deploy)".
3. Click "Save Changes".
4. Run "Deploy" from the server's Actions menu.

Checklist when a domain does not resolve

1. Confirm the A record and the wildcard record at your provider point to the server IP.
2. If you use Cloudflare's proxy, confirm Cloudflare Proxy is on and the Connectivity IP is set.
3. Run "Refresh DNS" from the server's Actions menu.
4. If instances still show certificate errors, see Troubleshooting: domain or SSL problems.

Related: Adding a server, Server actions: deploy, logs and charts, Domains, subdomains and SSL.

If you get stuck, open a support ticket from the Tickets page or the chat widget.