Domains
Choose a domain, connect it to your project, manage DNS safely, and verify that the final address works over HTTPS.
Choose a domain, connect it to your project, manage DNS safely, and verify that the final address works over HTTPS.
A domain is the web address visitors use to reach a published project. Every published Atoms project receives a free Atoms-hosted address. The exact public suffix can depend on the deployment. If your plan includes custom domains, you can also connect a domain you already own or purchase a new domain from the domain-management flow.
Start with your goal
You do not need to understand DNS before choosing a path. Select the option that matches what you want to do, then follow the relevant steps below.
Choose the path that matches your goal
Goal | Where to go |
|---|---|
Use the free Atoms address | Settings > Domains > find the default .atoms.world URL > Edit |
Connect a domain you already own | Settings > Domains > Connect Existing Domain > Connect domain |
Buy a new domain | Settings > Domains > Purchase New Domain > Buy new domain |
Choose the preferred public address | Settings > Domains > choose the domain > Set as Primary |
Move a domain from another Atoms project | Settings > Domains > Connect Existing Domain > Connect domain > Connected Domain > Switch > Continue |
Remove a connected domain | Settings > Domains > choose the domain > Manage > Disconnect |
Before you start
- Publish the project first.
- For a custom domain, use a paid plan that includes custom-domain support.
- Make sure you can edit the DNS records for the exact hostname you want to connect.
- Identify where the domain's active DNS is managed. This may be a different service from the company where you registered the domain.
- Record or export the existing DNS configuration before making changes.
- Check whether the hostname already opens another website or service before replacing its A or CNAME record.
- Leave mail and unrelated service records in place. Do not remove MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, or unrelated TXT records just to connect a website.
Essential domain and DNS terms
You only need a few DNS concepts to connect a domain safely.
Term | What it means |
|---|---|
Domain / hostname | The address people type in a browser to open your site, such as example.com or app.example.com. |
Root / apex domain | The basic version of your domain, without anything added before it. For example, example.com is the root domain. Addresses such as |
Subdomain | An address that adds a word before your main domain. For example, |
DNS provider / DNS host | The service where you manage your domain’s settings. This may be the same company where you bought your domain, or it may be a different service. |
DNS record | A setting that tells the internet how your domain should work, for example, where your website should open or how Atoms can verify your domain. |
A record | A DNS setting that points your domain to the server where your website is hosted. |
AAAA record | A DNS setting that points a domain to an IPv6 server address. Most beginners do not need this definition during the normal Atoms setup flow. |
TXT | A DNS setting that can contain verification information. Atoms may ask you to add one to confirm that you control the domain. |
DNS propagation | The time it can take for a DNS change to become visible everywhere on the internet. During this time, some people may still see the old settings. |
HTTPS / TLS | The secure version of a website connection. When your domain uses HTTPS, information sent between the visitor and your site is encrypted. |
Primary Domain | The main web address you want visitors to use when your project has more than one connected domain. |
Useful when you encounter them
Term | What it Means |
|---|---|
CNAME | A DNS setting that points one domain address to another domain address. |
Registrar | The company/entity that registers and renews the domain name for the registrant. |
Customize your free Atoms address
When you first publish a project, Atoms assigns a stable default subdomain under its Atoms-hosted domain. You can replace that subdomain with another available name from the Publish/Update experience.
- Open Settings > Domains.
- Find the default .atoms.world URL.
- Select Edit.
- Enter the new name and select Update. If the name cannot be used, follow the validation message shown in Atoms.
- Test the new address. Open the new .atoms.world URL and confirm that the intended published project loads over HTTPS.
Connect a domain you already own
Use this path when your domain is registered elsewhere and you want a specific hostname - such as example.com, www.example.com, or app.example.com - to open your Atoms project.
Choose the exact hostname
Decide which hostname visitors should use before you edit DNS. A root domain and its subdomains are separate hostnames. For example, example.com and www.example.com must each be connected if you want both addresses to work.
Start the connection
- Open Settings > Domains.
- Under Connect Existing Domain, select Connect domain.
- Enter the exact hostname, then select Connect domain to continue.
- Use the assisted setup when available. Atoms may identify your DNS provider and offer an automatic connection flow.
- Choose Manual Setup when needed. If automatic connection is not available, continue with the DNS records Atoms shows for your hostname.
Configure DNS when Manual Setup is shown
Atoms shows the DNS records required for the hostname you are connecting. Do not assume that every setup uses the same record types. Depending on the hostname and connection, website routing may use an A record or a CNAME, and verification may include a TXT record.
Use the values shown in your project
Add only the record types, hosts, and values Atoms currently displays for your hostname. Do not copy an IP address, CNAME target, TXT host, verification token, or other DNS value from another project or an example.
- Open the active DNS provider. Sign in to the service that hosts the live DNS for the domain.
- Back up the existing records. Record or export the current configuration before making changes.
- Add each required record exactly as shown in Atoms. This may include A, CNAME, TXT, or another record type shown in the setup.
- Protect unrelated services. Do not delete mail records or unrelated TXT records. Change only the records needed for the hostname you are connecting.
- Save the DNS changes.
- Return to Atoms and complete the confirmation or verification step shown in the connection flow.
Wait for verification and HTTPS
After you save DNS, the domain may show "Verifying", while Atoms checks the connection and verification information. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to become visible globally, although they often update sooner. During propagation, different networks may temporarily show different results.
Open the domain status details, keep the records unchanged while DNS propagates, then select Recheck. If the status is Failed, use the displayed error and next action before changing DNS again.
When the domain reaches Live, open the exact hostname over HTTPS and confirm that it loads the intended published project.
Verify the connection
- The exact hostname appears in Settings > Domains.
- The domain status is Live.
- The hostname opens over HTTPS.
- The correct published project loads.
- A nested route or refreshed deep link works if the project has multiple routes.
- If the project uses more than one connected address, each address behaves as intended.
Root domains, www, and subdomains
Question | How to handle it |
|---|---|
Do example.com and www.example.com count as the same hostname? | No. They are separate hostnames. Connect and test each one you want visitors to use. |
Can both the root domain and www be connected? | Yes. Connect each hostname separately, then choose the preferred address as the Primary Domain. |
Can multiple subdomains be used? | Yes. Hostnames such as app.example.com and shop.example.com can be configured separately. |
Can different subdomains point to different projects? | Each hostname can be configured independently, so different subdomains can be connected to different projects. |
Can the same hostname be connected to two projects at the same time? | A hostname should be connected to only one project at a time. Disconnect the existing binding before moving it to another project. |
How to connect a domain that is still associated with another or deleted project? | In the destination project, go to Settings > Domains > Connect Existing Domain > Connected Domain > Switch > Continue. If the domain is unavailable in this flow, contact Atoms Support. |
Buy a new domain
Use Purchase New Domain when you want to search for and register a new domain instead of connecting one you already own. Checkout is completed through IONOS.
- Open Settings > Domains.
- Select Purchase New Domain.
- Search for a domain name. Use the search results to check availability and pricing.
- Add the domain to the cart.
- Complete checkout through IONOS. Provide the registration and payment information requested during checkout.
- Complete any registrant verification. Follow the verification instructions sent by the registrar so the registration remains active.
- Return to Settings > Domains. Follow the instructions displayed in Atoms to finish the domain setup for your project.
Choose a Primary Domain
A project can have more than one connected address, such as a free .atoms.world address and one or more custom domains. The Primary Domain is the address you want visitors to use as the preferred public URL. Setting it selects the preferred address; it does not by itself redirect every connected hostname.
- Open Settings > Domains.
- Find the connected domain you want to use. Make sure it is working before making it primary.
- Select Set as Primary.
- Test the result. Open the primary address and confirm that it loads the intended project. Test redirects separately only for historical links after you enable Redirect; Atoms supports redirecting up to two links.
Domain cards show the state of each connected domain. Use the status as a starting point, then test the hostname itself.
Status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
Live | The domain has completed the connection and verification flow. | Open the hostname over HTTPS and confirm that the correct published project loads. |
Verifying | Atoms is checking the domain connection and verification information. | Allow time for DNS propagation and make sure the A/TXT values match the ones shown in Atoms. If it does not progress, use the Domain and SSL troubleshooting guide. |
Disconnected | The domain is not currently connected to the project. | Reconnect it if needed, or use the Switch flow if you are moving it from another Atoms project. |
Failed | The connection or verification process did not complete successfully. | Review the error shown in Atoms, confirm the hostname and DNS values, then retry after correcting the identified issue. |
Disconnect, switch, or replace a domain safely
If a domain already receives traffic, verify the destination or replacement before removing a working connection. This avoids leaving visitors without a usable address.
Move a domain from another Atoms project
1. Open the destination project and go to Settings > Domains.
2. Under Connect Existing Domain, select Connect domain.
3. Choose Connected Domain.
4. Select Switch, then Continue.
5. Verify the result. Confirm the intended project loads over HTTPS and the domain reaches Live. If the domain is unavailable in this flow, contact Atoms Support.
Disconnect a domain
1. Open Settings > Domains.
2. Choose the connected domain and select Manage > Disconnect.
3. Verify the remaining addresses. Make sure the project still has the working address you intend to keep.
Disconnect or delete a domain. Choose Disconnect when you only want to unbind the domain from the current project. Choose Delete Domain when you want to remove it from your account or domain pool.
Deleting can unbind the domain from other connected projects, which then revert to their default Atoms addresses. It requires explicit confirmation, and reconnecting later requires adding the DNS records again.
Replace a public domain with another domain
1. Connect the replacement first.
2. Wait for the replacement to become Live.
3. Select Set as Primary for the replacement.
4. Verify the replacement and the .atoms.world fallback address.
5. Disconnect the old domain with Manage > Disconnect.
6. Clean up old DNS only after the replacement is confirmed. If the old hostname should no longer point to Atoms, remove or replace only the old Atoms-specific records at the DNS provider.
Do not use Unpublish just to change a domain
Unpublish takes the published site offline. Switching or removing a domain is a separate domain-management action.
Post-connection launch checklist
A Live status confirms the connection, but finish with a few domain-specific checks before treating the change as complete.
• Open the exact production hostname over HTTPS in a private/incognito window.
• Confirm that the intended Atoms project loads.
• If both the root domain and www/subdomain should work, test each hostname separately.
• If Redirect is enabled, test each selected historical link and confirm it redirects to the preferred address. Atoms supports up to two redirected links.
• Open at least one nested route directly and refresh it to confirm the hostname routes correctly.
• After a switch or disconnect, confirm that the old hostname now behaves as intended.
Troubleshooting and support
If a connected domain does not become Live or stops working, avoid changing several settings at once.
1. Compare the DNS records. Check every record currently shown in Atoms against the records published by your DNS provider. Depending on the setup, this may include A, CNAME, TXT, or another record type displayed in the connection flow.
2. Confirm the exact hostname. Make sure you edited DNS for the same hostname you entered in Atoms.
3. Allow time for DNS propagation. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to become visible globally.
4. Test the exact hostname over HTTPS. Check whether the site loads the correct project and whether the secure connection is available.
5. Use Domain and SSL troubleshooting. If DNS records are correct but verification, HTTPS, routing, redirects, or domain management still fails, follow the focused troubleshooting guide.
6. Get support if the problem continues. Include the project Chat Link and a screenshot that clearly shows the issue. You can use the Feedback option on an agent message or the chat support entry.
Keep a well-known address available
Do not remove working DNS records or repeatedly disconnect and reconnect a domain just to try different settings. Keep the .atoms.world address or another working hostname available until the replacement is confirmed.