Publish with a domain, DNS and HTTPS

Before you start

Why this matters

Step by step

Tick each step as you do it. Your ticks are saved in this browser.

1. 1

   Connect the repository to your host

   Create a site from your repository. Set the production branch (usually main) and the output folder. Add environment variables in the host's settings, never in the code.

2. 2

   Turn on preview deploys

   Most hosts give every branch a preview URL to share with the client. Confirm previews are blocked from search indexing. When the client approves, merge into main.

   git checkout -b homepage-review
   git add .
   git commit -m "Homepage ready for client review"
   git push -u origin homepage-review
   

3. 3

   Understand the DNS records you will touch

   • A and AAAA records: point a name, such as the bare domain, to an IPv4 or IPv6 address.
   • CNAME record: points a name, such as www, to a hostname your host gives you.
   • MX records: route the domain's email. Do not touch them for a website launch.
   • TXT records: verification and email authentication. Leave existing ones alone. Add exactly what your host's documentation says.
4. 4

   Take a screenshot of the current DNS before changing anything

   Save every existing record in the project folder. If email breaks, this fixes it in minutes.

5. 5

   Lower the TTL a day ahead if you can

   TTL is how long other systems cache a record. A low TTL makes the switch and any rollback spread faster.

6. 6

   Add the domain on the host, then the records at the DNS provider

   Add both the bare domain and www on the host, choose one as the main address and redirect the other to it. Then add the records. Changes can take a while to spread, so launch on a quiet weekday morning.

7. 7

   Confirm HTTPS and redirects

   Most hosts issue a free certificate once DNS points correctly. Then test http:// and https://, with and without www, in a private window. All four should end at one HTTPS address without warnings. Turn on forced HTTPS.

8. 8

   Verify the live site, not just the dashboard

   Open the live domain on your phone on mobile data. Submit the form. Email the client's main address to confirm their email still arrives.

9. 9

   Know your rollback before you need it

   Find the host's option to redeploy a previous deployment and try it once on a quiet day. If something breaks, roll back first and debug second, or revert the bad commit:

   git log --oneline          # find the bad commit
   git revert 9e03c55         # create a commit that undoes it
   git push                   # host deploys the fixed version
   

10. 10

    Set up backups you control

    Git backs up the code. Back up the rest: CMS content, stored form submissions, uploaded media and the DNS screenshot. Test a restore once.

Example

LAUNCH LOG: austinfamilydental.example

Day before
* Saved DNS screenshot
* Existing records: A (old site), MX x2 (email), TXT (email auth)
* Lowered TTL on the old A record

Launch morning
* Merged homepage-review into main, production deployed (commit 2ad81f0)
* Main address: https://www.austinfamilydental.example
* Replaced old A record with the host's value for the bare domain
* Added CNAME www -> the hostname from the host's dashboard
* Did not touch MX or TXT records

Checks
* http, https, www, bare: all end at https://www.austinfamilydental.example
* Booking form submitted from phone on mobile data: front desk received it
* Test email to the owner's address arrived: email unaffected

Rollback plan
* Host dashboard: Deployments > previous > Promote to production
* Or: git revert <commit> && git push

Common mistakes

Try it yourself

Check yourself

Resources