--- name: azion-point-a-subdomain-with-a-cname-record description: >- Make a subdomain an alias of another hostname with an Edge DNS CNAME record, from Azion Console, the Azion CLI, or the API, and check the answer. --- # Point a subdomain with a CNAME record You can point a subdomain to another host with a CNAME record in [Edge DNS](/en/documentation/platform/edge-dns/) from Azion Console, the Azion CLI, or the Azion API. The record below makes `blog.example.com` an alias of `www.example.com`, so a query for `blog` gets the address of `www`. A CNAME cannot be named `@`: to point the root domain, refer to [Point an apex domain with ANAME](/en/documentation/guides/application-security/dns/access-root-domain/) instead. --- Select an interface. The prerequisites and the procedure below switch with it. ## Prerequisites - A zone for your domain in Edge DNS. To create one, refer to [Create, edit, or delete a zone](/en/documentation/guides/application-security/dns/edge-dns-configure-main-settings/). - The hostname the alias points to. This example uses `www.example.com`, an A record on `www` in the same zone that answers `192.0.2.1`. - The **Edit Edge DNS** permission. It requires **View Edge DNS**. Refer to [Teams permissions](/en/documentation/fundamentals/teams-permissions/). **Console** - Access to Azion Console. To sign in, refer to [Access Azion Console](/en/documentation/guides/platform/account-and-billing/how-to-access-azion-console/). **CLI** - The [Azion CLI](/en/documentation/devtools/cli/) installed and authorized. - The ID of the zone. `azion list dns-zone` prints it in the `ID` column. **API** - A [personal token](/en/documentation/guides/platform/account-and-billing/personal-tokens/) and `curl`. - The `id` of the zone. --- ## Add the CNAME record The record name is relative to the zone: you enter `blog`, and Edge DNS serves it as `blog.example.com`. The value is the one hostname the alias points to. Replace `example.com` with your domain in every step. **Console** To add the CNAME record in Azion Console: 1. **Open the Edge DNS page** Access [Azion Console](https://console.azion.com/) > **Edge DNS**. 2. **Open the zone** On the **Zones** page, select the row of the zone. 3. **Select the Records tab** 4. **Select + Record** The **Create Record** drawer opens. 5. **Enter the subdomain** In **Name**, enter `blog`. The Console shows your domain after the field and adds it for you. 6. **Select the CNAME type** In **Record Type**, select *CNAME - Canonical name*. 7. **Keep the TTL** Keep **TTL (seconds)** at `3600`. 8. **Enter the target hostname** In **Value**, enter `www.example.com`. 9. **Select Save** The Console shows `Edge DNS Record has been created`, and `blog` appears in the **Records** table. **CLI** To add the CNAME record with the Azion CLI, replace `` with the ID of your zone and run: ```bash azion create dns-record --zone-id --name blog --type CNAME --rdata www.example.com --ttl 3600 ``` The command prints the ID of the record: ```text Created DNS record with ID 100774 ``` The zone holds the alias. Pass `blog` alone in `--name`: a name typed with the domain is served with the domain twice. **API** To add the CNAME record with the Azion API, send a `POST` request to the zone's records endpoint. Replace `` with the `id` of your zone and `[TOKEN VALUE]` with your personal token: ```bash curl -X POST https://api.azion.com/v4/workspace/dns/zones//records \ -H "Authorization: Token [TOKEN VALUE]" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"name":"blog","type":"CNAME","rdata":["www.example.com"],"ttl":3600}' ``` A `201` returns the record: ```json { "state": "executed", "data": { "id": 100177, "description": "", "name": "blog", "ttl": 3600, "type": "CNAME", "rdata": ["www.example.com"], "policy": "simple", "weight": 255 } } ``` The zone holds the alias. `rdata` carries the one target hostname, and `policy` and `weight` keep their defaults. Once `blog` holds the CNAME, it holds no other record type: Edge DNS refuses an MX or CAA record on `blog` with `19018`. For every CNAME rule and its error, refer to [Record types](/en/documentation/platform/edge-dns/record-types/#cname). --- ## Check the answer Ask Azion's nameserver directly, without your resolver's cache. This check works before you delegate the domain to Azion. > **Caution** > > Query `blog` only after you save the record. A name queried before its record exists is answered `NXDOMAIN` for up to one hour, the SOA minimum. To query `ns1.aziondns.net` for the alias, replace `example.com` with your domain: ```bash dig +short @ns1.aziondns.net blog.example.com A ``` The nameserver returns the target hostname, then the address of the target: ```text www.example.com. 192.0.2.1 ``` The target is in the same zone, so Edge DNS answers the CNAME and the A record of `www` in one response. A name that nobody queried before you saved it answers within seconds. A later change to the record can take a few minutes to reach every nameserver. For how answers are cached, refer to [How Edge DNS works](/en/documentation/platform/edge-dns/how-it-works/#caching-and-propagation). If the command prints nothing, refer to [A new record returns NXDOMAIN](/en/documentation/platform/edge-dns/troubleshooting/#a-new-record-returns-nxdomain). --- ## Next steps - [Point an apex domain with ANAME](/en/documentation/guides/application-security/dns/access-root-domain.md): Answer for the root domain, where a CNAME is refused. - [Record types](/en/documentation/platform/edge-dns/record-types.md#cname): Every CNAME rule and the error the API returns for each. - [Add, edit, or delete a record](/en/documentation/guides/application-security/dns/add-records.md): Change the target of the alias, or delete it. - [Migrate nameservers to Azion](/en/documentation/guides/platform/migration/migrate-ns-to-azion.md): Delegate the domain so public resolvers ask Edge DNS.