is-live.dev

Getting your subdomain live

Everything you need to go from a request to a working yourname.is-live.dev on Vercel, Netlify, GitHub Pages or your own server.

How it works

  1. Request a name and tell us where your site is hosted.
  2. Set your password from the link we email you, so you can follow your request.
  3. We call you to verify and take payment for your plan, usually within one or two business days.
  4. We create the DNS record and email you that it’s live.
  5. Connect the domain at your host (steps below) so it serves your site over HTTPS.

You never edit DNS yourself. We point yourname.is-live.dev at your host; your host serves the site and its HTTPS certificate. is-live.dev never sees your traffic.

1. Request a name

  • Names use lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens, 1–63 characters, with no hyphen at the start or end.
  • Some names are reserved (like www, mail, admin) and brand names can’t be used.
  • Where it points: pick your host on the request form and enter the address it gives you (see your host’s section below). For your own server, enter its public IP.
  • Use a phone number we can actually reach. We won’t approve a request we couldn’t verify.

2. Verification and payment

Someone from our team calls the number you gave. We confirm who you are, ask what the site is for, and read out the three rules. It takes a couple of minutes. Cheap subdomains attract phishing, and this call is what keeps is-live.dev trusted for everyone.

On the same call we share how to pay for the plan you picked and record your payment. The subdomain goes live only once it’s paid.

Once you’re approved we email you, and the record usually works within a few minutes. Follow the status any time in your dashboard.

Pricing and renewals

  • $1 for 6 months or $2 for a year, per subdomain. Hosting is separate.
  • No card needed: we take payment person to person on the verification call. Online payment is coming later.
  • Your plan and its end date are on your dashboard. We email you a week before it ends and on the day.
  • To renew, reply to the reminder or email [email protected]. A subdomain that isn’t renewed may be suspended.

3. Connect your host

Your host also needs to know about yourname.is-live.dev, otherwise it shows a “not found” page and can’t issue the HTTPS certificate. You can add the domain at your host before or after approval.

.dev sites only load over HTTPS. Browsers refuse plain http:// on every .dev domain, so the site won’t open until your host has issued a certificate. Vercel, Netlify and GitHub Pages do this automatically once the record is live; give it up to an hour.

Vercel

  1. Open your project → Settings → Domains.
  2. Add yourname.is-live.dev.
  3. Vercel shows the CNAME value it wants, usually cname.vercel-dns.com or an address ending in vercel-dns.com. Use that value as where it points on the request form (or in a change request). your-project.vercel.app also works.
  4. After approval, Vercel marks the domain as valid and issues the certificate.
yourname.is-live.dev  CNAME  cname.vercel-dns.com

Netlify

  1. Open your site → Domain management → Add a domain.
  2. Enter yourname.is-live.dev and confirm you want to add it.
  3. Use your Netlify address as where it points, for example your-site.netlify.app.
  4. After approval, Netlify provisions a Let’s Encrypt certificate under HTTPS on the same page.
yourname.is-live.dev  CNAME  your-site.netlify.app

GitHub Pages

  1. Open the repository → Settings → Pages.
  2. Under Custom domain, enter yourname.is-live.dev and save. GitHub adds a CNAME file to your branch.
  3. Use username.github.io as where it points, with your GitHub username or organization, even for a project site.
  4. After approval, wait for the DNS check to pass, then tick Enforce HTTPS.
yourname.is-live.dev  CNAME  username.github.io

Your own server

  1. Choose Own server on the request form and enter the server’s public IP. IPv4 gives an A record, IPv6 an AAAA record. Private addresses aren’t accepted.
  2. Configure your web server for yourname.is-live.dev.
  3. After approval, get a certificate yourself. With nginx and certbot, for example:
    sudo certbot --nginx -d yourname.is-live.dev
  4. Renewals are your job too; certbot installs a timer that handles them.
yourname.is-live.dev  A  203.0.113.10

Changing or releasing your subdomain

  • Moved your site? Open the subdomain in your dashboard and choose Request a change. Your current record stays live until we approve the new one.
  • Need email (MX) records or a verification TXT record your host asks for? Mention it in a change request or email [email protected].
  • Done with it? Choose Release. We delete the record and the name can go to someone else.

Troubleshooting

The site shows “404”, “Site not found” or “Deployment not found”.
The domain isn’t added at your host yet, or it was removed. Add yourname.is-live.dev in your host’s domain settings.
The browser shows a certificate or privacy error.
Your host hasn’t issued the certificate yet. Wait up to an hour after approval. On your own server, run certbot as shown above.
The name doesn’t resolve at all.
Check that your dashboard shows Active. Right after approval, DNS can take a few minutes to reach everyone.
My status says Suspended.
The subdomain broke the rules or a health check found a problem. Email [email protected] if you think it’s a mistake.
I never got the set-password email.
Check spam, or use Forgot password with the same email you requested with.

Rules

No phishing or fake login pages, no malware, no spam. We check every live subdomain weekly and suspend ones that break the rules without notice. Full text in the terms of use. Report abuse to [email protected].