How to configure heroku application DNS to Godaddy Domain?

When configuring DNS for your Heroku application to point to a GoDaddy domain, follow these steps to ensure a smooth setup. Below are the detailed instructions and examples:

Step 1: Obtain the Heroku Application's DNS Target

1. Log in to your Heroku account.
2. Select the application you want to link to your GoDaddy domain.
3. Navigate to the "Settings" page of the application.
4. In the "Domains and certificates" section, click "Add domain".
5. Enter your domain (e.g., www.example.com), then click "Next".
6. Heroku will provide a DNS target (e.g., something.herokudns.com). Make a note of this information, as it will be used when configuring DNS in GoDaddy.

Step 2: Configure the Domain in GoDaddy

1. Log in to your GoDaddy account.
2. Go to the "My Products" page and click the "DNS" button next to the domain you want to configure.
3. On the DNS management page, you may need to add or modify a CNAME record.
   • To add a new CNAME record, click "Add" and select "CNAME".
   • In the "Host" field, enter the subdomain portion (e.g., if your Heroku domain is www.example.com, enter www).
   • In the "Points to" field, enter the DNS target obtained from Heroku (e.g., something.herokudns.com).
   • Set the TTL (Time to Live), recommended to use automatic or one hour.
4. If existing CNAME records point to other addresses, update them to point to the DNS target provided by Heroku.
5. Save the changes.

Step 3: Verification and Testing

1. DNS changes may take several hours to a full day to propagate globally, known as DNS propagation time.
2. Use tools like dig or nslookup to verify DNS records are correctly updated. For example, running dig www.example.com CNAME should display the CNAME record pointing to Heroku.
3. Once DNS changes are effective, you should be able to access your Heroku application by entering your domain (e.g., www.example.com).

Notes

• Ensure your Heroku application is ready to receive traffic from the custom domain.
• If SSL certificate requirements exist (for HTTPS support), set up an SSL certificate on Heroku.
• Monitor your domain and Heroku application for any issues that may arise during DNS changes.

By following these steps, you can successfully configure your Heroku application to use a GoDaddy domain. If you encounter issues, leverage the customer support resources for both Heroku and GoDaddy.