1. Why Use a Custom Domain
I’ve wanted to share my tech blog with others many times, but I often couldn’t even get the URL right. The structure of donehub.github.io is simple enough, but when you’re trying to share it, it just doesn’t feel polished. So to make my blog easier to remember, I needed a custom domain.
2. GitHub Pages Supports Custom Domains
GitHub Pages is a solid platform for hosting blogs. After deployment, it gives you a username.github.io address. But GitHub Pages also provides a domain configuration option, which lets you set up a custom domain instead of using the default one. This makes binding a personal domain possible.
3. Binding a Custom Domain
3.1 Register a Domain
Domain registrars include Alibaba Cloud, GoDaddy, and others. I registered mine on Alibaba Cloud: takeshell.com. It costs just a few dozen yuan per year — affordable enough.
3.2 Replacing the GitHub Pages Domain
By default, GitHub Pages is deployed at https://username.github.io/. There are two ways to replace it with takeshell.com.
Method 1: Manually add a CNAME file (no extension) to your project directory with the content takeshell.com. After committing, you’ll see the Custom domain field automatically populated with the new domain.
Method 2: Directly edit the Custom domain field in the settings page, enter your domain, and save.
3.3 DNS Configuration
After switching to a custom domain, GitHub’s domain health check will fail because you haven’t configured DNS for your domain yet.
There are two main DNS record types for domain binding:
- A: Stands for
Address. DNS resolves your domain to a specificIPaddress. - CNAME: Stands for
Canonical Name. DNS points your domain to another domain.
A Record:
First, get the IP address by running ping username.github.io. For example, you might get 185.199.111.153. Then on Alibaba Cloud, go to Domain Resolution → Resolution Settings → Add Record.
Here the host record is www. You’ll also need to add another record with @ as the host, so both https://www.takeshell.com and https://takeshell.com can access the blog. After enabling DNS, you can visit the blog at takeshell.com. The TTL (Time To Live) is the DNS cache duration; the default of 10 min is fine.
CNAME Record:
Besides mapping directly to an IP, you can also point your domain to username.github.io. It’s like creating a domain alias: different entry points, same destination.
Again, add another record with @ as the host. After enabling DNS, you can access the blog normally at takeshell.com.
4. Wrap-Up
Getting a custom domain is exciting. First, it should be simple enough for others to remember at a glance. Second, it should reflect your personal style: whether you’re going for geek cred or everyday life, the domain should make that clear. And third, most importantly, the domain you want must actually be available.
A personal blog is a stage for showcasing your work, but if it’s hidden down an alley, it’s just a performance for yourself. Now that I’ve finally bound a custom domain, hopefully this billboard will attract more attention. The prerequisite, of course, is having something worth performing.