Custom Domains

When you create a project in Essepage, you receive a default site address like the following:

https://espg.dev/my-website

If you own a domain, you can connect it to your Essepage project and run your website at an address like this:

https://www.example.com

Connecting a custom domain does not change the pages or URL structure of your existing project.

Essepage currently requires an SSL/TLS proxy to connect a custom domain. This guide explains how to connect a domain using Cloudflare.

Connect your domain to Cloudflare, add the TXT and CNAME records, and set the SSL/TLS encryption mode to Full.

Before You Start

You will need the following:

• A domain that you own or manage
• Permission to change the domain’s nameservers
• A Cloudflare account
• A published Essepage project that can be accessed normally

If you do not have a domain, purchase one from a domain registrar first. Regardless of where you purchased the domain, you can use it by pointing its nameservers to Cloudflare.

Choose the Address to Connect

First, decide which address you want to use for your website.

You can use a subdomain such as:

www.example.com
docs.example.com
blog.example.com

This guide assumes that you are connecting the following address:

www.example.com

An address without www or another prefix, such as example.com, is called a root domain.

example.com

Root domain connections are explained separately later in this guide.

1. Connect Your Domain to Cloudflare

First, point your domain’s nameservers to Cloudflare so that its DNS can be managed there.

The basic process is:

1. Sign in to Cloudflare.
2. Add the domain you want to connect.
3. Check the nameserver addresses provided by Cloudflare.
4. Open the management page of the registrar where you purchased the domain.
5. Replace the existing nameservers with the nameservers provided by Cloudflare.
6. Wait for the domain to become active in Cloudflare.

If the domain is already being used for a website or email, proceed carefully. Before changing the nameservers, make sure the existing A, CNAME, MX, and TXT records are correctly registered in Cloudflare. In particular, missing MX records may prevent your domain email from working properly.

2. Check the DNS Settings in Essepage

Open the custom domain settings for your Essepage project.

1. Open the project dashboard in Essepage.
2. Under Settings, select Custom Domain.
3. Check the TXT and CNAME records shown on the page.

When connecting www.example.com, you will see information similar to the following:

Each record has a different purpose:

• TXT record: Verifies that you control the domain.
• CNAME record: Connects requests for the domain to Essepage.

The verification value in the TXT record is different for each project.

Do not use the value shown in this example. Copy the value displayed in your own project settings.

essepage-domain-verification=your_project_verification_value

3. Add the DNS Records to Cloudflare

In Cloudflare, select the domain you want to connect and open its DNS records page.

Add the TXT and CNAME records displayed in the custom domain settings of your Essepage project.

Add the TXT Record

Add the TXT record as follows:

Type: TXT
Name: www
Content: essepage-domain-verification=your_project_verification_value

The TXT record is used to verify that you are authorized to configure the domain.

Copy and paste the complete verification value from the Essepage settings page.

Add the CNAME Record

Add the CNAME record as follows:

Type: CNAME
Name: www
Target: world.edge.essepage.com
Proxy status: Proxied

Use the following address as the CNAME target:

world.edge.essepage.com

The Proxy status of the CNAME record must be set to Proxied.

In Cloudflare’s DNS settings, this is shown as an orange cloud icon.

Proxy status: Proxied

Essepage custom domains currently require the Cloudflare proxy. The domain will not connect correctly if the record is set to DNS only.

4. Set the SSL/TLS Encryption Mode

After adding the DNS records, update the SSL/TLS settings in Cloudflare.

1. Select the domain in Cloudflare.
2. Open SSL/TLS.
3. Select Overview.
4. Set the encryption mode to Full.

SSL/TLS encryption mode: Full

If the encryption mode is set to Flexible or another option, the connection to Essepage may not work correctly.

To connect an Essepage custom domain, set the Cloudflare proxy status to Proxied and the SSL/TLS encryption mode to Full.

5. Connect the Domain in Essepage

After completing the Cloudflare settings, return to the custom domain settings in Essepage.

Enter the full domain in the domain field.

www.example.com

Do not include https:// or a page path.

https://www.example.com

www.example.com/about

Enter only the domain name, and then select Set Custom Domain.

Essepage verifies ownership using the TXT record and connects the domain to the project.

Connect a Root Domain

A CNAME record normally cannot be added directly to a root domain such as example.com.

A root domain can therefore be connected only through a DNS service that supports a feature such as Cloudflare’s CNAME Flattening, which allows a CNAME target to be used at the root domain.

Because this guide uses Cloudflare, you can also connect a root domain. This is not possible with every DNS service. If your DNS service does not support CNAME Flattening, ALIAS, ANAME, or an equivalent feature, you cannot connect the root domain directly.

In that case, use one of the following options:

• Move your DNS management to Cloudflare and connect the root domain.
• Connect a subdomain such as www.example.com to Essepage.

To connect a root domain in Cloudflare, enter @ instead of www as the DNS record name.

Type: TXT
Name: @
Content: essepage-domain-verification=your_project_verification_value

Type: CNAME
Name: @
Target: world.edge.essepage.com
Proxy status: Proxied

Cloudflare supports CNAME Flattening, allowing the CNAME configured at @ to be used for the root domain.

Enter the root domain in the Essepage domain field.

example.com

The root domain requires the same settings as a subdomain:

• CNAME proxy status: Proxied
• SSL/TLS encryption mode: Full

A root domain can be connected only through a DNS service that supports CNAME Flattening or an equivalent feature.

Check the Connected Domain

After the domain has been connected, open it in your browser.

https://www.example.com

Check the homepage, and then open some of the other pages on the site.

https://www.example.com/about

https://www.example.com/contact

The existing URL structure of your Essepage project remains the same when using a custom domain.

Internal links written from the root of the site do not need to be changed.

<a href="/about">About</a>

If you entered the complete default site address directly in a link, you may need to update it to the custom domain.

<a href="https://espg.dev/my-website/about">
    About
</a>

DNS Update Timing

Changes to Cloudflare nameservers and DNS records may not take effect immediately.

Depending on the current configuration and existing DNS caches, it may take some time for the changes to propagate.

If the domain does not connect immediately after setup, wait before repeatedly changing the records.

Also check that the domain status is active in Cloudflare.

Remove a Custom Domain

If you no longer want to use the connected domain, you can remove it from the project settings.

1. Open the project dashboard.
2. Under Settings, select Custom Domain.
3. Select Remove Custom Domain.

After removing the domain, delete or update the TXT and CNAME records in Cloudflare as needed.

To connect a different domain, remove the existing custom domain and then configure the new one.

If the Domain Does Not Connect

If the custom domain does not connect, check the following:

• The domain’s nameservers point to Cloudflare.
• The domain status is active in Cloudflare.
• The verification value has been added to the TXT record.
• The TXT and CNAME record names match the domain you want to connect.
• The CNAME target is world.edge.essepage.com.
• The CNAME proxy status is set to Proxied.
• The Cloudflare SSL/TLS encryption mode is set to Full.
• No old DNS records for a previous website remain under the same name.
• You have waited long enough for the DNS changes to propagate.

Essepage currently supports only domains using an SSL/TLS proxy. DNS-only connections will be supported in the future.

You may use a service other than Cloudflare if it provides an SSL/TLS proxy, but the setup process will vary. To connect a root domain, the service must also support CNAME Flattening, ALIAS, ANAME, or an equivalent feature.

This guide uses Cloudflare as its example.

Next Steps

After connecting a custom domain, continue with one of the following guides:

• Apply shared changes across the entire site: Apply Changes to All Pages
• Learn when changes appear on the live site: Cache and Update Timing
• Check the available features and usage limits: Limits and Usage
• Set page titles and descriptions: Metadata
• Configure pages and URLs for multiple languages: Multilingual Content