Connect to products_

Custom domains on Appwrite work in two layers:

1. Organization domain (apex zone, for example example.com) proves your organization controls the name and can host its DNS zone.
2. Product domain (any hostname, for example www.example.com or api.example.com) is a proxy rule that routes HTTPS traffic to a Site, Function, or project API.

This guide walks through apex vs subdomain setup, what to configure in each product, and how organization Domains fits together with project-level Add domain flows.

Before you connect

Organization ownership

On Appwrite Cloud, the project's organization must own the apex domain before a hostname can be verified on Sites, Functions, or Custom domains in project settings.

When you add a hostname in a project, Appwrite automatically registers the apex in organization Domains if it is not there already. You still need to complete DNS verification for that apex (nameservers, CNAME, or A/AAAA depending on your setup).

If the apex is registered under a different organization, verification fails. Move the domain with Change organization or use a domain owned by the same org as the project.

Apex vs subdomain

Apex domains cannot use a standard CNAME at the zone root (DNS RFC limits). Subdomains always use CNAME unless the full zone is delegated to Appwrite nameservers.

Two ways to manage DNS

Full zone on Appwrite (recommended for apex + many subdomains)

• Register, transfer, or add an external domain under Organization > Domains.
• Point nameservers to ns1.appwrite.zone and ns2.appwrite.zone.
• Manage records on the domain Records tab. See Manage DNS records.
• Add product hostnames in Sites, Functions, or project settings. Verification can complete faster when Appwrite already hosts the zone.

DNS stays at your current provider

• Keep nameservers at your registrar or DNS host.
• Add the CNAME (and CAA when shown) that the Console provides for each product hostname.
• For apex without changing nameservers, use CNAME flattening if your provider supports it. See Sites domains.

Connect a subdomain

Subdomains such as www, api, app, or staging follow the same pattern for every product:

1. Open the target resource (Site, Function, or project Settings > Custom domains).
2. Click Add domain (or Create domain) and enter the full subdomain (for example api.example.com).
3. Complete any product-specific options (Sites: domain rule type; Functions and API: route to the active deployment or API).
4. Copy the CNAME record (and CAA if listed) from the verification screen.
5. Add those records at your DNS provider, or on the organization domain Records tab if the zone is on Appwrite.
6. Return to the Console and click Verify. Wait until Verification status and Certificate status are both successful.

DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours. Retry verification after records are live.

Connect an apex domain

For example.com (no subdomain prefix), choose one approach:

Nameserver delegation

1. Verify the apex in Organization > Domains (register, transfer, or external).
2. Add the product hostname example.com on the Site, Function, or API as in the subdomain flow.
3. If the zone is not already on Appwrite nameservers, set NS records at your registrar to ns1.appwrite.zone and ns2.appwrite.zone.
4. Recreate non-Appwrite records (MX for email, TXT for verification, and so on) on the organization Records tab before cutting over production traffic.

See Sites domains for why Appwrite uses NS delegation instead of fixed A records on apex.

CNAME flattening (keep your nameservers)

1. Add example.com on the product.
2. Create an ALIAS, ANAME, or apex CNAME (provider-dependent) pointing to the Appwrite hostname from the Console.
3. Add the CAA record at the apex if prompted. Keep existing CAA records and add Appwrite's alongside them.
4. Verify in the Console.

Supported on many providers (for example Cloudflare, DNSimple, Route 53). If your provider does not support flattening, use nameserver delegation instead.

Sites

Serve your web app on a branded hostname.

Steps

1. Open Sites and select your site.
2. Open the Domains tab and click Add domain.
3. Enter the hostname (www.example.com, example.com, or staging.example.com).
4. Choose a domain rule type:
   • Active deployment: production; always serves the latest successful deployment.
   • Git branch: staging or preview; pins to a branch from your connected repository.
   • Redirect: HTTP redirect to another URL (301, 302, and other status codes).
5. Follow the verification screen (CNAME, nameservers, or flattening for apex).
6. Click Verify and wait for the TLS certificate to issue.

Common hostnames

Appwrite also provides generated *.appwrite.network URLs and branch/commit URLs without custom DNS. See Sites domains.

Functions

Expose a function over HTTPS with standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, and others).

Steps

1. Open Functions and select your function.
2. Open the Domains tab and click Add domain (or Create domain).
3. Enter the hostname (for example api.example.com or hooks.example.com).
4. Add the CNAME (and CAA if shown) at your DNS provider or on the organization Records tab.
5. Verify in the Console.

Generated and edge domains

Every function gets a region-specific *.appwrite.run URL after deployment. You can also attach an *.appwrite.network edge domain from the Domains tab for routing to the nearest region. Custom domains use the same verification flow as Sites (CNAME to appwrite.network on Cloud).

See Functions domains for generated domains and edge setup.

Project API

Use your own hostname as the Appwrite API endpoint for a project (for example appwrite.example.com or api.example.com).

Why use a custom API domain

Browsers treat cookies from a different hostname than your app as third-party cookies and may block them. Pointing the API to a subdomain of your app (for example app on www.example.com, API on api.example.com) keeps sessions on first-party cookies. See Custom domains.

Steps

1. Open the project Settings sidebar.
2. Open Custom domains and click Create domain.
3. Enter the subdomain (for example api.example.com). Apex API domains follow the same apex options as Sites.
4. Copy the CNAME and any CAA records to your DNS provider.
5. Verify and wait for the certificate.
6. Update your SDK client to use the new endpoint URL.
7. Add the hostname under Allowed domains in project settings if API calls from that origin are blocked.

See Custom domains for provider-specific DNS links and allowed-domain configuration.

Example: one domain, multiple products

A typical production layout on example.com:

With the full zone on Appwrite nameservers, add CNAME records on the organization Records tab for each subdomain pointing to appwrite.network (Sites/Functions) or the API CNAME target from project settings. Then add each hostname on the corresponding product and verify.

Verification and TLS

After DNS is correct:

1. Verification status must show verified. Click Verify or Retry in the Console if it stays pending.
2. Certificate status must show issued. Appwrite provisions and renews TLS automatically.
3. A Verifying state while the certificate issues is normal and usually completes in minutes.

Locked records on organization Domains (created when you attach hostnames) must not be deleted. They are required for routing and certificate renewal.

All connected hostnames use Appwrite Network features (routing, DDoS mitigation, WAF, TLS).

Troubleshooting

Verification fails after adding CNAME

• Confirm the record name matches the Console (www vs @ for apex flattening).
• Use the CNAME target shown for that product (API vs appwrite.network).
• Wait for propagation and use an external DNS checker before retrying.

Apex works at registrar but not on Appwrite

• Switch to the Nameservers tab on the verification screen if CNAME flattening is not supported.
• Ensure NS records point only to Appwrite when delegating the full zone.

Domain owned by another organization

• The apex must belong to the same organization as the project. Use Change organization or a different domain.

Site shows old content after verification

• DNS and browser caches can lag. Test in a private window or from another network.

Email stopped working after NS cutover

• Recreate MX and related records on the organization Records tab. Use DNS presets for common providers or see Manage DNS records.

For product-specific options (branch URLs, redirect rules, function HTTP behavior), see Sites domains, Functions domains, and Custom domains.