Web flow

Custom domain

Overview

Every web app published on Emergent receives a free subdomain at 

your-app-name.emergent.host
. To present your app under your own brand, add a custom domain through the Domain panel(Preview → Manage → Domain). Custom domains require you to configure DNS records with your domain registrar (e.g., Cloudflare, Namecheap, GoDaddy) and point them to Emergent's infrastructure. The below steps are for the manual setup. You can also use the Auto-link button available at the Domain panel to set it up automatically (recommended).

This page walks you through DNS setup, troubleshooting, and common questions about the default subdomain.

Note

Custom domains are available for web apps only. Mobile apps use their own distribution channels (App Store, Play Store) and do not rely on DNS.

DNS: A records + Emergent IPs

To serve your app at your root domain (e.g., 

example.com
), add two A records that point to Emergent's shared IP addresses, plus a 
www
CNAME. The recommended method is Auto-Link (Entri), which configures these records for you automatically. For manual setup, follow the steps below.

1

Open the Domain panel

In the Emergent workspace, navigate to Preview → Manage → Domain (web apps only). Type your domain name (like 

example.com
) in the provided textbox.

2

Note the Emergent shared IP addresses

Emergent uses two shared A record IPs, there are no dedicated IPs per app:

  • 162.159.142.117
  • 172.66.2.113

You will use both in the next step.

3

Create two A records at your DNS provider

Log in to your domain registrar or DNS host (Cloudflare, Namecheap, etc.). Add two new A records:

First A record:

  • Host / Name: 
    @
    (or leave blank, depending on your provider)
  • Type: 
    A
  • Value / Points to: 
    162.159.142.117
  • TTL: 
    Auto
    or 
    3600
    (1 hour)

Second A record:

  • Host / Name: 
    @
    (or leave blank, depending on your provider)
  • Type: 
    A
  • Value / Points to: 
    172.66.2.113
  • TTL: 
    Auto
    or 
    3600
    (1 hour)

Save both records.

4

Confirm the domain in Emergent

Return to the custom domain panel, enter your domain (e.g., 

example.com
), and click the check status icon. Emergent will check for the A records and provision an SSL certificate once the records are detected.

SSL provisioning

SSL certificates are issued automatically via Cloudflare Custom Hostnames after DNS verification. This usually takes a few minutes but can take up to 24 hours if DNS propagation is slow.

CNAME (
www
) entry

Most users expect both 

example.com
and 
www.example.com
to work. Add a CNAME record to route 
www
traffic to your root domain.

1

Add the CNAME record

In your DNS provider's dashboard, create a new CNAME record:

  • Host / Name: 
    www
  • Type: 
    CNAME
  • Value / Points to: 
    example.com
    (your root domain, no 
    http://
    )
  • TTL: 
    Auto
    or 
    3600

Save the record.

2

Test both URLs

After DNS propagates, visit both 

https://example.com
and 
https://www.example.com
. Both should load your app. Emergent automatically redirects 
www
to the root domain (or vice versa, depending on your configuration).

Tip

Some DNS providers (like Cloudflare) also support CNAME flattening or ALIAS records at the root. If you prefer to use a CNAME instead of an A record, consult your provider's documentation.

Troubleshooting a stuck domain

If your custom domain does not load after adding DNS records, follow these checks:

Use a DNS lookup tool (e.g., dnschecker.org or 

dig example.com
in your terminal) to confirm:

  • Both A records for 
    @
    (root) point to 
    162.159.142.117
    and 
    172.66.2.113
    .
  • The CNAME for 
    www
    points to your root domain.

If the records are missing or incorrect, update them at your DNS provider and allow a few minutes for propagation.

DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to propagate globally, depending on your provider and the previous TTL. If you recently added or changed records, wait 1-2 hours and check again.

In the Emergent Published versions panel, the custom domain row shows a status badge (e.g., Pending, Active, Error). If it says Pending, SSL provisioning is in progress. If it says Error, click Details to see the specific issue (often a DNS mismatch or CAA record blocking certificate issuance).

Browsers and operating systems cache DNS lookups. Try visiting your domain in an incognito/private window or run 

ipconfig /flushdns
(Windows) / 
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
(macOS) to clear local caches.

Warning

If your domain's DNS is managed through Cloudflare, your A records and CNAME must be set to DNS-only (gray cloud) permanently. Enabling the Cloudflare proxy (orange cloud) at any time will cause Error 1014 and break your custom domain.

What the Emergent subdomain is

Every web app on Emergent is assigned a default URL in the format:

https://your-app-name.emergent.host

This subdomain:

  • Is always available, even if you add a custom domain.
  • Receives the same published versions and updates as your custom domain.
  • Uses a wildcard SSL certificate managed by Emergent (always HTTPS).
  • Reflects the app name you chose during creation.

Will the subdomain work as-is?

Yes. You can share the 

your-app-name.emergent.host
URL immediately - no DNS setup required. It is a fully functional production URL. Custom domains are optional and purely for branding.

If you are prototyping or running an internal tool, the Emergent subdomain is often sufficient. For customer-facing apps, a custom domain (e.g., 

app.yourcompany.com
) is recommended.

Changing the app name & Google auth label

Default subdomains cannot be changed, once assigned, your 

your-app-name.emergent.host
URL is permanent and deleted URLs are never reused. If you need a different subdomain, you would need to create a new app.

Warning

If you use Google auth or Emergent Auth, ensure your authorized redirect URIs in the Google Cloud Console or GitHub OAuth app settings match the subdomain your app is currently using.

Google's OAuth consent screen displays the OAuth application name configured in the Google Cloud Console, not the Emergent app name. To change the label users see:

  1. Go to the Google Cloud Console.
  2. Select your project → APIs & Services → OAuth consent screen.
  3. Update the Application name field.
  4. Save changes.

The new name will appear on the Google sign-in prompt within a few minutes. For more details, see the Google auth page.

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