Custom Domains

Use your own branded domain for short links instead of the default re.codelloy.com.

Overview

With custom domains, your short links look like https://go.yourbrand.com/abc123 instead of https://re.codelloy.com/abc123. This builds trust with your audience and reinforces your brand every time someone clicks one of your links.

Prerequisites

A Codelloy account with Owner role
A domain or subdomain you control (e.g., go.yourbrand.com)
Access to your domain’s DNS settings

Step 1: Add Your Domain

Go to URL Branding in the dashboard sidebar
Enter your subdomain (e.g., go.yourbrand.com) — you can paste a full URL like https://go.yourbrand.com and Codelloy will strip the protocol for you
Click Add Subdomain

Codelloy immediately tries to verify the domain. If your DNS record is already configured, the domain activates on the spot and the status shows Activated. If DNS hasn’t propagated yet, the domain is saved as Deactivated and you’ll see setup instructions with a Retry Verification button.

Step 2: Configure DNS

Add a CNAME record in your DNS provider pointing your subdomain to Codelloy:

Type	Name (Host)	Target / Value
CNAME	go.yourbrand.com	re.codelloy.com

Tip: Some DNS providers ask for the full subdomain name (go.yourbrand.com), others ask for just the label (go). Check what your provider expects — both formats refer to the same record.

DNS Propagation: After saving your CNAME record, changes can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 48 hours to propagate globally. Do not expect verification to pass immediately — wait, then retry.

Common DNS Providers

Cloudflare

Go to your domain’s DNS tab
Click Add Record
Type: CNAME, Name: go, Target: re.codelloy.com
Proxy status: DNS only (grey cloud) — see Cloudflare section below

GoDaddy

Open DNS Management for your domain
Click Add → CNAME
Host: go, Points to: re.codelloy.com

Namecheap

Go to Advanced DNS for your domain
Click Add New Record → CNAME Record
Host: go, Value: re.codelloy.com

Step 3: Verify Your Domain

If the domain already shows Activated after Step 1 — you’re done. DNS was already propagated.
If the domain shows Deactivated: wait for DNS to propagate (30 minutes to 48 hours), then go to URL Branding and click Retry Verification. If it still fails, wait a bit longer and retry again — this is normal.

Once verified, the status changes to Activated and all new short links you create will use your branded domain.

How Verification Works

Codelloy checks your domain using up to three methods, stopping as soon as one succeeds:

DNS CNAME check — confirms your domain’s CNAME record points to re.codelloy.com
IP address match — resolves both your domain and re.codelloy.com to IP addresses and checks for overlap (handles direct A-record setups)
HTTP reachability — makes a live HTTP request to your domain to confirm it routes through Codelloy

After Activation

All new short links created after activation use your custom domain
Links created before activation continue to work on re.codelloy.com
SSL/TLS certificates are provisioned automatically via Let’s Encrypt — no manual cert management needed
If you remove your custom domain, new links immediately revert to re.codelloy.com; existing links are unaffected
Your domain remains active until you explicitly remove it — DNS changes do not auto-deactivate it
Links created under your custom domain are served exclusively via your domain. Attempting to access them from another organisation’s custom domain returns a 404. Links are always accessible via re.codelloy.com as a fallback.

Cloudflare

Can I use Cloudflare with my custom domain?

Yes, but the setup requires an extra step when first activating the domain.

Codelloy uses TLS-ALPN-01 to issue Let’s Encrypt certificates. This challenge must reach the origin server directly — Cloudflare’s proxy intercepts it if orange-cloud is enabled, causing cert issuance to fail.

Required setup:

Set your CNAME record to DNS only (grey cloud ☁) in Cloudflare
Verify and activate your domain in the Codelloy dashboard
Wait for the green padlock to appear in your browser (usually within 1 minute)
You can now re-enable the Cloudflare proxy (orange cloud 🟠) if you want it

If the dashboard shows a yellow warning about Cloudflare proxy, follow the steps above and click Retry Verification.

What Cloudflare SSL/TLS mode should I use after re-enabling proxy?

Use Full or Full (strict). Never use Flexible — it sends plain HTTP between Cloudflare and the origin, which means your visitors’ data is unencrypted for part of the journey.

FAQ

Can I use a root/apex domain like `yourbrand.com`?

No. Apex domains (yourbrand.com without a subdomain) cannot use CNAME records — DNS does not allow it. Use a subdomain like go.yourbrand.com or links.yourbrand.com instead.

Can I use an A record instead of a CNAME?

Yes, if the A record points to the same IP address as re.codelloy.com. You can confirm the current IP by running dig re.codelloy.com or using an online DNS lookup tool.

Can I use a deeply nested subdomain like `go.links.yourbrand.com`?

Yes, any valid fully-qualified hostname works.

How long does DNS propagation take?

30 minutes to 48 hours is typical. Most DNS providers propagate within 1 hour. If verification keeps failing, open a new browser tab and run nslookup go.yourbrand.com to check whether your CNAME has propagated.

Is HTTPS automatic?

Yes. Once your domain is verified and the IngressRoute is created, Let’s Encrypt issues a certificate automatically on the first HTTPS connection to your domain. No manual configuration is needed. Certificates auto-renew before expiry.

Who issues the SSL certificate?

Let’s Encrypt. The certificate appears in public Certificate Transparency (CT) logs — this is standard for all HTTPS certificates and is not a privacy concern.

Can two accounts claim the same domain?

No. Each domain can only be claimed by one organisation. Claiming a domain proves that the DNS record points to the Codelloy platform. A unique constraint prevents the same hostname from being registered twice.

Can I still access my custom domain links via `re.codelloy.com`?

Yes. The platform default re.codelloy.com always works for any link, regardless of which domain it was created under.

What happens if someone visits my link using a different custom domain?

They will see a 404. Each custom domain only serves links that belong to that organisation — this prevents domain confusion and abuse.

Can I claim a Codelloy system domain like `api.codelloy.com`?

No. Platform-controlled domains are blocked and cannot be used as custom domains.

What happens to existing links if I remove my custom domain?

They continue to work indefinitely on re.codelloy.com. The custom domain is only used for the short link hostname — the link destination is unaffected.

What happens if I change my DNS after the domain is activated?

Your domain stays active in Codelloy until you explicitly remove it. DNS changes do not trigger automatic deactivation — this prevents transient DNS issues from breaking your links.

Troubleshooting

Problem	What to do
Domain stuck on Deactivated	Wait for DNS propagation (up to 48h), then click Retry Verification
Yellow “Cloudflare proxy” warning	Set DNS record to DNS-only (grey cloud), click Retry Verification, re-enable proxy after padlock appears
”Invalid domain format” error	Enter a full subdomain, e.g. `go.yourbrand.com`, not just `go`
Certificate warning right after setup	Wait ~1 minute and refresh — SSL is issued on the first connection
Removed domain by mistake	Re-add it in URL Branding. If your CNAME is still configured, it verifies and activates immediately
CNAME looks correct but still failing	Some providers take longer to propagate globally. Keep clicking Retry Verification every few minutes
”Domain already claimed” error	That exact hostname is registered to another organisation. Use a different subdomain.
Link shows 404 on custom domain but works on `re.codelloy.com`	Your custom domain may be inactive or not yet propagated. Go to URL Branding, check the status, and click Retry Verification if needed.