Connecting a Custom Domain

Overview

This guide provides everything you need to know about replacing your default Sticklight URL with a professional custom domain.

Who can do this: Workspace Owners and Admins. Editors and Viewers cannot connect or manage custom domains. See Roles and Permissions for details.

Prerequisites

Before connecting a custom domain, ensure you have:

• Pro Plan: Custom domains are a premium feature. Compare plans to see all Pro benefits.
• Initial Publish: You must publish your project at least once before you can link a custom domain.

How to Connect Your Domain

1. Go to Publish
2. Click Connect Custom Domain
3. Enter your domain name (e.g., www.yourbrand.com)
4. Choose your path:

– Automatic: Log in to your provider (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.) directly from Sticklight, and we’ll configure the DNS records automatically. – Manual: Copy the A record and/or CNAME record from the configuration table shown during the Domain Configuration process into your registrar’s DNS settings.

Note: DNS changes can take up to 72 hours to propagate globally, though most complete within an hour.

Managing Domain Hierarchy

You can link multiple domains to one project, but only one is Primary.

• Primary Domain: The live URL that users see in their browser and search engines index.
• Secondary Domains: Validated domains that act as fallbacks and redirect to the primary.
• Sticklight Fallback: Your yourproject.sticklight.app URL is permanent. If you remove your custom domain, the system automatically promotes the Sticklight URL to Primary.

Domain Status Reference

Use this table to understand the current state of your domain connection and what action (if any) is required.

Status	Description	What You’ll See in UI	Your Action	Email Notification?
Unpublished	Project is not yet live on the web	“Reserved. Goes live after your first project publish.”	Click “Publish” in the editor	No
Ready	DNS is validated but not yet active	“Validated. Will go live on your next project publish.”	Publish project to activate URL	No
Action Required	Connection started but records are missing	“Connection incomplete. Follow instructions to link domain.”	Copy records to your registrar	Yes
Verifying	Sticklight is polling your DNS records	“Checking DNS records. Can take up to 72 hours.”	Wait for propagation (usually <1 hour)	No
Unable to Verify	Records found do not match requirements	“Records incorrect or missing. Re-check registrar settings.”	Re-check A/CNAME values	Yes
Setting Up	Ownership confirmed; provisioning SSL	“Finalizing secure connection and SSL certificate.”	None (automated)	No
Failed	Error during SSL or server routing setup	“Technical setup error. Please retry the connection.”	Click “Retry” or contact support	Yes
Live	Domain is active and secured	“Project is live and secured at this domain.”	None – you’re all set!	Yes
Expired	DNS no longer points to Sticklight	“DNS no longer points to Sticklight. Update registrar.”	Restore DNS records	Yes
Removed	Domain has been disconnected	“Disconnected. Reconnect to use with this project.”	Re-add domain if needed	No
Offline	Suspended due to plan downgrade	“Pro feature. Upgrade to Pro to reactivate domain.”	Upgrade to Pro to restore	Yes

Downgrade Logic (Pro to Free)

If your Pro subscription ends:

1. Your custom domain moves to Offline status.
2. Your published site goes offline at the end of your billing cycle.
3. We preserve your domain settings for 30 days. Re-upgrading to Pro within this window will instantly restore your site and custom domain connection.

FAQs

Does Sticklight provide SSL?

Yes! All live domains include a free, automated SSL certificate. We handle certificate provisioning and renewal automatically.

How long does verification take?

Usually just minutes. However, DNS propagation can take up to 72 hours globally depending on your registrar and DNS provider. Most domains verify within an hour.

Can I connect a subdomain?

Yes. Simply enter the full subdomain during the connection flow (e.g., blog.mysite.com or shop.mysite.com). Each subdomain requires its own DNS record.

Can I use a root domain without “www”?

Yes. You can connect either yourdomain.com (root/apex domain) or www.yourdomain.com. For root domains, you’ll typically need to add an A record. For subdomains including www, you’ll add a CNAME record.

What if I already have DNS records for my domain?

You may need to remove or update conflicting A or CNAME records before Sticklight can verify your domain. Check with your registrar if you’re unsure which records to modify.