My Journey to Domain Hosting
Tags: domainhosting
Published: 2023-11-22 07:01:41

During my resume-building process for the job hunt, I created five projects:-
1. [Product-detail-page](https://himanimehra.paletto.org/Product-Detail-Page/)
2. [Interactive-comment-section](https://himanimehra.paletto.org/interactive-comment-section/)
3. [Multi-step-form](https://himanimehra.paletto.org/Multi-step-form/)
4. [IP-address-tracker](https://himanimehra.paletto.org/ip-address-tracker/)
5. [Country-explorer](https://himanimehra.paletto.org/explore-country/)

Assuming that my resume was strong after completing numerous projects. However, A project doesn't necessarily have to be top-notch or something entirely novel, especially in a world where there are many developers in world. However, the right mindset would be: don't just copy and paste; instead, generate an idea from scratch, work on it, and develop various aspects of that idea. Look for competitors, explore the comments section (if available), and identify points that people are dissatisfied with. Then, initiate a project based on that refined idea.

After creating my first major project ready to live (_[Paletto](https://www.paletto.org/)_), I bought a domain from GoDaddy:  paletto.org. Now we will go through the actual journey of hosting  my project and all the issues I faced, what alternatives I used:

**Step I**: Pushed my project on _**[GitHub](https://github.com/himani-mehra/color-palette)**_.

Step II: Go to **_[GoDaddy](https://www.godaddy.com/en-in/offers/godaddy)_**, and click on the manage DNS button.


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/vpgk8i8kyon6jsljlom8.png)

**Step III**: Then click on add new records:

Add new records: IPv4 , www , etc:-
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/55ekzt1a00oml0kcfr3g.png)

As I mentioned earlier, I believe in sharing both successes and challenges. Unfortunately, the approach mentioned earlier didn't work out for me. It wasn't due to a lack of knowledge, but every time I attempted to add a record, _I encountered either a connection timeout or a simple unable to add the record._

## Alternative Used:
Searched and found out we can add records via _[Cloudflare ](https://www.cloudflare.com/)_as well.

Steps that were followed to successfully add records:

**Step I**: Login to  _[Cloudflare ](https://www.cloudflare.com/)_as well.
**Step II**: Click on _add a site_ button.


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/zh80qvp34azd0obshrxz.png)

**Step III**: Enter the domain name (without any sub domain).

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/x612blj8xj2cah7jot3v.png)

**Step IV**: Select a plan, for most applications free plan is fine. Now Cloudflare will scan the domain name for existing DNS records. After a few seconds, it will show all the existing records for my current name server.


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/82d6o9iwnhow62wt1ocr.png)

**Note**: These (existing) records will not work for my website since it is located on a different hosting server, hence I deleted all. And even if any required record is deleted, it can be added at any time (Thats the whole point of Cloudflare).

**Step V**: We need to tell the registrar (GoDaddy in my case)to point to Cloudflare's nameserver, so copy first nameserver.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/us0wrrqnq0tqwzlwuygg.png)

Then I went to my domain name registrar i.e GoDaddy , then to DNS settings , changed the first name server I copied from Cloudflare, similary done for the second nameserver. Yes that is it.

Important thing to note is unless the website is properly installed and configured to work in https uncheck the automatic https settings:-

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/ulc49mpby19nehb2mi1v.png)

Now the last thing to note is, while adding the records, use '@' (shortcut for domain root) and if you want subdomain then add the subdomain name instead of '@' :


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/tf2o3voygx330b967tci.png)

## So what job Cloudflare did for GoDaddy ?

When you buy a domain (like https://www.paletto.org/), you need a way for people's computers to find the correct place on the internet when they type that address. That's where DNS (Domain Name System) comes in - it's like a phonebook for the internet, translating human-friendly domain names into computer-readable IP addresses.
Now, GoDaddy is where you initially register your domain, and it usually helps manage your DNS settings. However, if you decide to use Cloudflare for your DNS, it means Cloudflare is taking over the job of managing the information that helps direct traffic to your website. So, when you can't add a record on GoDaddy, it's because Cloudflare is now in charge of handling those records instead. You'll need to go to your Cloudflare account to make any changes or additions to your DNS settings.

**Step VI:** It is the final step and the crucial one.

Go to Github 🠖 Go to the particular project you want to host(Paletto in my case) 🠖 settings 🠖 pages (on left sidebar) 🠖 scroll downto Custom Domain 🠖 add the domain name (www.paletto.org in my case) 🠖 uncheck the enforce https configurations and click on save. Good to go, now you can access your website by clicking on : your website is live at "_yourwebsite.com_". Carefully see each and every detail mentioned above in the image attached below:


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/twerklocgc7y2xqi89ck.png)

## Second Learning (say mistake):
I bought a very specific domain name ([**_paletto.org_**](https://www.paletto.org/)). The reason I'm saying this is because soon I made two more projects which have no commonality in theme or for say their purpose (one such project is "**_[Practice Digital Writing](https://cursive.paletto.org/)_**") So the learning is **Develop Forward Visionary** as now even my main website name is **_[himanimehra.paletto.org](https://himanimehra.paletto.org/)_** 😅.

## Conclusion:
My journey into domain hosting underscored the significance of quality over quantity in the job market. Guided by the principle that "What is seen is sold," I hosted my major project, Paletto, on a GoDaddy domain.

Encountering setbacks during my initial record addition attempt, I turned to Cloudflare as a seamless alternative for managing records. Lessons were learned, notably the importance of a versatile domain name. While paletto had a specific domain (paletto.org), subsequent projects prompted a more forward-thinking approach, resulting in a domain structure accommodating diverse projects, like himanimehra.paletto.org.

This journey not only involved overcoming technical challenges but also highlighted the vital roles of adaptability and foresight in the evolving landscape of domain hosting and project development.