Websites · Glossary
What is a CNAME record?
A CNAME record is a DNS entry that makes one domain name an alias of another name. For example, it can say that www.example.com is really site.platform.net, so browsers look up the platform address instead. Website builders ask for a CNAME because their servers can move without you changing anything.
CNAME stands for canonical name. It is the most common record a website builder asks you to add when you connect your own domain.
Nuwan Madhusanka · Co-founder
3 min read · Published
How a CNAME works
When a browser looks up www.example.com and finds a CNAME pointing to site.platform.net, it then looks up site.platform.net and connects to whatever addresses that name has. If the platform changes its servers, it updates its own records and your CNAME keeps working without any edit from you.
CNAME versus A record
An A record points a name straight at an IP address, a fixed number. A CNAME points a name at another name. Builders prefer CNAMEs because IP addresses on modern networks change and are spread across many locations, while a name they control can follow those changes.
The apex catch
The bare domain, example.com without www, is called the apex or root. The DNS standard does not allow a CNAME there alongside the other records an apex must hold, such as MX for email. Many providers offer an ALIAS or ANAME record that behaves like a CNAME at the apex; if yours does not, use www as the main address and redirect the bare domain.
Adding one without breaking anything
In your provider DNS settings, add a record of type CNAME, set the name to the host, usually www, and the value or target to the address the builder gives you. Some providers add your domain to the end of the name automatically, so type only www. Leave MX records for email untouched.
Where it shows up in OneCraft
Connecting a custom domain in site settings shows two records: a TXT record named _onecraft followed by your host, carrying a token that proves ownership, and a CNAME that points the host at the sites network. For apex hosts the card notes that your provider needs ALIAS or ANAME support. If another CNAME is in the way, the status says CNAME points elsewhere.
Questions people ask
Can I have a CNAME and other records on the same name?
No. A name with a CNAME cannot carry other records such as MX or TXT for that same name, which is why CNAMEs are used on subdomains like www rather than on the bare domain. Verification TXT records usually sit on a different name, such as an underscore prefixed one, to avoid the clash.
How long does a CNAME take to work?
Often minutes, sometimes a few hours. It depends on how quickly your provider publishes the change and on caching, controlled by the TTL value on old records. If a site still shows the old host after a day, check the record name and value for typing mistakes.
Will a CNAME affect my email?
Not if you add it to the website host, usually www, and leave your MX records alone. Email delivery uses MX records on the bare domain. Problems come from deleting records you do not recognise while editing, so change only what the builder asked for.
What is a CNAME flattening or ALIAS record?
It is a provider feature that lets the bare domain behave as if it had a CNAME. The provider looks up the target name itself and answers with its addresses, which keeps the DNS rules intact. Record names vary: ALIAS, ANAME or CNAME flattening, depending on the provider.
Why does my builder say CNAME points elsewhere?
Your host already has a CNAME pointing to another service, often an old website host or parking page. Edit that record so its value is the target the builder gives you, or delete it and add the new one. Then run the verification again.
Make one with websites
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Create a website with OneCraftRelated questions
- What is an A record?What is an A record? The DNS entry that points a domain name at an IPv4 address. How it differs from a CNAME and when a website builder needs one.
- How long does DNS propagation take?How long does DNS propagation take? Usually minutes to a few hours, up to 48 hours in rare cases. Why changes are slow, how to check them and what to fix.
- Custom domain vs subdomainCustom domain vs subdomain: a domain you own like yourbusiness.com versus a free platform address. Cost, trust, portability and search compared in a table.
Written and checked by the OneCraft team. Last checked .