Managing domains is a key part of building your online presence. Domains act as the address people use to find your website, and understanding how they work is crucial to ensuring your site is accessible, professional, and aligned with your brand.

This guide provides a high-level overview of domain management on Rapyd, covering essential topics like environment domains, custom domains, and DNS concepts. By the end, you'll have a clear understanding of how to manage your domains effectively and know where to find detailed instructions for specific tasks.

Whether you're setting up a new domain or optimizing an existing one, this guide will help you navigate the tools and features available in the Rapyd dashboard.

A domain is essentially the address that people type into their browser to visit your website. For example, the domain for Google is "google.com." Domains make it easy for users to find your site without having to remember complex IP addresses (the technical code representing your site).

When you create a website on Rapyd, it is automatically assigned a default domain, called an Environment Domain, like environment-name.ew1.rapydapps.cloud. This provides immediate access to your site during development or setup.

While environment domains are great for testing and initial setup, transitioning to a custom domain is the logical next step when you’re ready to take your site live and establish a professional online presence.

To learn more about how environment domains work and where to find them in the dashboard, check out our Complete Guide to Environment Domains.

A custom domain, like yourcompany.com, is essential for branding, credibility, and creating a professional online presence. Rapyd supports linking your custom domains in two ways: Managed Domains and Self-managed Domains.

To learn more about the differences and how to choose the best option for your needs, visit our Complete Guide to Custom Domains.

Since DNS plays such an important role in both managed and self-managed domains, here’s a brief explanation:

The Domain Name System (DNS) is like the phonebook of the internet. It translates human-friendly domain names (like example.com) into IP addresses, which are used to locate and identify the exact server hosting your website. When someone types your domain name into their browser, the DNS looks up the corresponding IP address and directs them to your site.

For a more complete guide on DNS records, please visit Rapyd's Guide to DNS Records.

We recommend working through the following how-to guides to make sure you have your site set up optimally.

Understanding domain management is a critical part of building a successful online presence. Your domain is more than just the address people use to find your website—it's a key element of your brand identity and user experience. Ensuring your domain is set up correctly makes your site accessible, professional, and aligned with your business goals.

This guide has provided an overview of essential domain concepts, including environment domains, custom domains, and DNS basics. By mastering these topics and using the tools available in the Rapyd dashboard, you’ll be well-equipped to manage your domains effectively.

Whether you're setting up a new domain, transitioning to a custom domain, or optimizing your existing configuration, refer to our detailed how-to guides for step-by-step assistance. And as always, our support team is here to help if you need further guidance.