ale supports both CNAME and APEX domain records for connecting custom domains. Configuration steps vary based on your domain provider — this guide covers domains managed via AWS Route 53 and Cloudflare.

For other DNS providers, check their record registration process under DNS Settings > CNAME Configuration.

Services deployed on ale come with SSL certificates automatically - both for preview URLs (provided by default) and your custom domains. No additional SSL configuration is required.


DNS Records

Click the Connect Domain button in the Resource tab of the service page. Enter your domain (e.g., example.com or www.example.com) to view the CNAME and TXT record values for DNS configuration.

AWS Route 53

Navigate to the Hosted Zones section in your Route 53 dashboard and click Create record to configure the following DNS record values:

  • Record Name: The prefix (e.g., www) from your domain (e.g., www.example.com) configured in ale

  • Record Type: CNAME

  • Value: CNAME record value from ale

After configuring the DNS records, switch back to ale and click Verify. Once domain verification is complete, click Connect to complete the domain connection.

SSL certificates are automatically issued for connected domains. Domain access may be temporarily limited or SSL security warnings may appear while DNS record propagation and SSL certificate validation are in progress.

The message “Current DNS settings are incorrect. CNAME not found” may appear due to DNS propagation delay. Please wait a few moments and try verification again.

If you see ‘domain connection limit exceeded’ when clicking Connect, it means your space has insufficient resources for custom domain connections. In this case, refer to the the Space and Resource Management page to adjust the number of domain connections.

Cloudflare

Subdomains

Go to your domain’s DNS Records page in Cloudflare and click “Add record” to configure the following DNS record values:

  • Type: CNAME

  • Name: The prefix (e.g., www) from your domain (e.g., www.example.com) configured in ale

  • Target: CNAME record value from ale

  • Proxy status: DNS only (disabled)

If Proxy status is Proxied, ale’s automated SSL certificate issuance and domain rules won’t apply. Ensure it’s set to DNS only (disabled).

After configuring the DNS records, switch back to ale and click Verify. Once domain verification is complete, click Connect to complete the domain connection.

SSL certificates are automatically issued for connected domains. Domain access may be temporarily limited or SSL security warnings may appear while DNS record propagation and SSL certificate validation are in progress.

The message “Current DNS settings are incorrect. CNAME not found” may appear due to DNS propagation delay. Please wait a few moments and try verification again.

If you see ‘domain connection limit exceeded’ when clicking Connect, it means your space has insufficient resources for custom domain connections. In this case, refer to the the Space and Resource Management page to adjust the number of domain connections.

Root Domain

Click the Connect Domain button in the Connections tab of the service page. Enter the root domain to view the CNAME and TXT record values for DNS configuration.

Both records need to be registered to connect a root domain in Cloudflare. See each section to add these record values in Cloudflare.

After configuring the DNS records, switch back to ale and click Verify. Once domain verification is complete, click Connect to complete the domain connection.

SSL certificates are automatically issued for connected domains. Domain access may be temporarily limited or SSL security warnings may appear while DNS record propagation and SSL certificate validation are in progress.

The message “Current DNS settings are incorrect. CNAME not found” may appear due to DNS propagation delay. Please wait a few moments and try verification again.

If you see ‘domain connection limit exceeded’ when clicking Connect, it means your space has insufficient resources for custom domain connections. In this case, refer to the the Space and Resource Management page to adjust the number of domain connections.