This guide explains how to configure a hosted Discourse site to run at the root or apex domain (for example, example.com instead of forum.example.com). The general process for changing your site’s domain name is covered in the guide for configuring your domain name for hosted Discourse.
Required user level: Administrator
Most hosted Discourse sites run on a subdomain, such as forum.example.com, talk.example.com, or www.example.com. This is the recommended setup, and in almost all cases it works without issue.
Running your site at the root or apex domain (for example, example.com) is possible, but it’s more difficult in a hosted scenario, because of the way DNS works for root domains. This option is available on the Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans. On the Free plan, custom domains aren’t available, and your site stays on its discourse.group address.
Two things are required to run your site at a root or apex domain:
Your DNS provider must support one of the record types listed below (a regular CNAME record is not enough at the root).
The final configuration is completed by the Discourse team, because the Change Domain Name button in your admin dashboard checks for a CNAME record and can’t process an apex or root domain.
Configure your DNS provider
Check that your DNS provider supports a record type for the root domain. If your provider isn’t listed below, you must switch to one of these providers first.
Create the record described for your provider, following the link in the table for details.
Contact the Discourse team at team@discourse.org to complete the root domain name change, once your DNS record is in place.
If your DNS provider is not listed above, switch to one that supports a root or apex record type before continuing. A regular CNAME record won’t work at the root domain.
If you test a DNS provider that isn’t listed here and it works for your site, reply to this topic with the provider’s name and a link that explains how to set it up, so the list can be updated.
this only works if you are self-hosted in AWS or on our AWS Enterprise Hosting ↩︎
So it took a minute to figure out, but I managed to get my apex domain to work with Azure, where we host our DNS.
In order to use Azure you need to leverage Azure Front Door. These instructions are for Azure Front Door Standard/Premium, not Azure Front Door (classic).
Navigate to Azure Front Door and click + Create
Choose Azure Front Door and Custom create, and click Continue to create a Front Door.
Choose your Subscription, Resource Group, Name and Tier (Standard worked for me), then click Next: Secrets.
If you’re using your own SSL cert, Add it here. Once added (or if you’re letting Azure create your cert), click Next: Endpoint.
Click Add an endpoint and choose a name, then click Add.
Under the new “Routes” section, click Add a route. Give it a name.
For “Origin group” click Add a new origin group. Give it a name.
Click + Add an origin. Give it a name. For “Origin type” choose Custom. For “Host name” enter your site.hosted-by-discourse.com domain. Make sure “Origin host header” is blank. Click Add.
Click Add in the “Add an origin group” dialog.
Click Add in the “Add a route” dialog.
Click Review + create. Click Create.
Wait for the AFD to deploy. Once it’s deployed click Go to resource.
On the left side menu choose Domains. Click Add a domain.
For “DNS zone” choose the zone your domain is in. Under “Custom domain” pick your domain in the APEX section. Click Add.
When your domain appears in the list, click the … on the right. Choose Associate.
Select the endpoint and route you created earlier. Click Associate.
If you’re using an AFD Managed Certificate
If the “Validation state” of your domain is Pending, click that link. Choose Minutes for the “TTL Unit” (for quick validation), then click the Add button under “DNS record status”.
BE PATIENT. This is where I spent too much time pulling out my hair, but you need to wait. Eventually your “Validation state” should change to Approved.
You may have to Regenerate and update the TXT DNS Record. You can do this by clicking the Regenerate button. You’ll need to click the Update button under “DNS record status” once it appears.
This guide explains how to configure a hosted Discourse site to run at the root or apex domain (for example,
Required user level: Administrator
If your DNS provider is not listed above, switch to one that supports a root or apex record type before continuing. A regular CNAME record won’t work at the root domain.
If you test a DNS provider that isn’t listed here and it works for your site, reply to this topic with the provider’s name and a link that explains how to set it up, so the list can be updated.