Support the bare domain and www as separate DNS inputs: use a CNAME for www when your host specifies one, and use your authoritative DNS provider’s supported apex mechanism—such as flattening, ALIAS/ANAME, a provider-specific alias, or host-documented address records. A standard CNAME cannot occupy a DNS zone’s apex. DNS makes each hostname resolvable; your web application handles which hostname is canonical and whether to redirect the other.
What are the apex and www names?
The apex (also called the root or bare domain) is the zone’s top-level name: for example.com, it is example.com. The www name, www.example.com, is a subdomain. Although people often treat the two as interchangeable website addresses, they are distinct DNS names and can be configured independently.
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A standard DNS CNAME makes one name an alias for another DNS name. Under standard DNS behavior, a CNAME cannot be used at the zone apex because that name must also carry the zone’s authoritative records. AWS’s supported DNS record types documentation describes this restriction and notes that a CNAME owner name cannot also contain other record types. A CNAME for www is common, provided you do not also try to put TXT, A, or other records at that exact name.
How can a site support both names without coupling their DNS?
Give each hostname an explicit DNS configuration rather than assuming one routing pattern will work for every customer’s provider. For example, a customer may point www.example.com to a service hostname with a CNAME, while configuring example.com through the apex feature their authoritative DNS provider supports. The host’s current domain-connection instructions determine the exact target and record values; do not substitute an example target from another platform.
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www: use the CNAME or other record specified by the host. A CNAME occupies the name, so do not combine it with other record types atwww. - For the apex: use the DNS provider’s supported flattening, ALIAS/ANAME-style record, provider-specific alias, or host-documented address-record fallback.
- For the site: configure the application or hosting platform to accept the chosen hostnames and select a canonical hostname if one is desired.
Cloudflare describes its flattening feature as finding the IP address to which a CNAME points and returning address information rather than the CNAME itself. Its CNAME flattening documentation says apex flattening is enabled by default for Cloudflare zones. Netlify’s external DNS instructions describe ALIAS, ANAME, flattened CNAME, or an A record for the apex depending on the DNS provider, while its domain setup guide gives separate apex and www destinations. Those are provider- and host-specific instructions, not universally interchangeable record values.
What is CNAME flattening, and how does it differ from an alias record?
CNAME flattening is a DNS provider feature that resolves a CNAME target and returns its resulting address records to DNS clients instead of exposing the CNAME at that owner name. This lets a provider support CNAME-like targeting at the apex while still answering with address records. Cloudflare’s documentation calls out this behavior; its setup guide covers configuration, and its diagram illustrates address answers and TTL behavior.
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ALIAS and ANAME are names used by some DNS providers for similar apex-targeting conveniences, but they are provider-defined features rather than one portable standard record type. AWS Route 53’s alias is also provider-specific: it supports particular AWS resources and other documented targets, not arbitrary targets in every situation. See AWS’s comparison of alias and non-alias records. Do not infer that an “ALIAS” offered by one DNS company has Route 53’s target rules or another provider’s behavior.
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| Option | How the DNS provider answers | Important constraint | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flattened CNAME | Resolves the target and returns address records rather than the CNAME itself. | Behavior, configuration, and availability depend on the DNS provider. A dangling target without A or AAAA data can yield NODATA; a third-party verifier may need to see the raw CNAME. | When the authoritative provider supports flattening and the host supplies a hostname target. |
| ALIAS or ANAME-style record | Provider-specific mechanism that points an apex at a hostname and answers using address information. | Names, behavior, and target support vary by provider; these are not portable standard record types. | When the authoritative provider offers this feature and the host recommends it. |
| Route 53 alias | Route 53-specific alias answer for supported AWS resources and targets. | Use only for targets supported by Route 53’s current documentation; “alias” is not a generic synonym for any provider’s ALIAS record. | When the customer uses Route 53 and the target is supported. |
| A or AAAA records | Returns the configured IPv4 or IPv6 address directly. | Use only addresses published by the host. If the platform changes them, the DNS configuration may need updating; availability of an AAAA fallback is not established by every host’s instructions. | When the host documents address records as the fallback and the DNS provider lacks an appropriate apex feature. |
For Cloudflare specifically, apex flattening is on by default for its zones. Broader flattening settings have their own configuration details, so check the current setup instructions rather than extrapolating that default to other providers.
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How should a customer-domain product avoid routing coupling?
Keep DNS setup, domain verification, and application routing as distinct concerns. A customer-domain workflow should collect the hostname the customer wants to serve, identify which DNS provider is authoritative, and show the exact record instructions that the host supports for that provider or record type. It should separately configure which hostname the application treats as canonical.
- Identify the requested hostnames. Record whether the customer intends to serve the apex,
www, or both; do not treat the two as a single DNS name. - Determine the authoritative DNS provider. The provider that serves the zone’s DNS records determines whether flattening, ALIAS/ANAME-style records, or a Route 53 alias are available. Changing nameservers is not inherently required; use the supported method for the current authoritative provider unless the host explicitly requires otherwise.
- Present the host’s exact records. Show the current target and record type the hosting platform publishes. If an apex alias-like feature is unavailable, use the host’s documented A or AAAA fallback, not a guessed or copied address.
- Handle verification separately. If a platform asks for a verification record, follow its exact instructions. Flattening can hide the raw CNAME from a third-party verifier, as Cloudflare notes in its flattening documentation.
- Set application behavior after DNS. Ensure the site accepts the hostnames and apply the intended canonical-host redirect at the web application or hosting layer. DNS answers addresses; it does not issue an HTTP redirect.
- Validate resolution and serving. Check that each configured name resolves as expected and that the site responds on each intended hostname. If a flattened target is dangling or has no A/AAAA records, Cloudflare documents a NODATA response; correct the target or follow the host’s recovery instructions.
What can go wrong?
- A CNAME is rejected at the root: this is expected for a standard CNAME at the zone apex. Use the DNS provider’s supported apex mechanism or the host’s stated address-record fallback.
- Records conflict at
www: a CNAME cannot coexist with other records at the same owner name. Remove conflicting records only in line with the host’s instructions, taking care not to delete unrelated records at other names. - Verification stops working: a flattened CNAME may return synthesized address answers rather than the raw CNAME a verifier expects. Use the host’s documented verification method or provider-specific guidance.
- The apex resolves to no addresses: a flattened target that no longer has A or AAAA data can produce NODATA in Cloudflare’s documented behavior. Confirm the target is valid and currently resolves.
- The web address resolves but serves the wrong site: DNS resolution alone does not establish that the web application recognizes that Host header, supports TLS for it, or applies the desired canonical redirect. Check the custom-domain and certificate status with the hosting platform.
- A hard-coded address becomes stale: an A or AAAA fallback ties the customer configuration to the published addresses. If the host changes them, update the records according to the platform’s current guidance.
Does DNSSEC change which record to use?
There is no universal DNSSEC comparison established here for flattening, ALIAS/ANAME, Route 53 alias, or address-record fallbacks. DNSSEC behavior depends on the authoritative provider and its feature implementation. Consult that provider’s documentation for the specific record feature and follow the hosting platform’s domain setup instructions rather than assuming that similarly named alias features behave identically.
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