What Is a CNAME Record? (Examples)

CNAME Explained (An Alias for a Hostname)

The comparison that decides most setups:

Rule of thumb: A records for the apex and anything mail-related; CNAMEs for aliases that should track another hostname. The apex workaround (flattening) is explained in the section below.

CNAME vs A Record

A CNAME (Canonical Name) record points a name to another name — an alias, not an address. It says: whatever that target name resolves to, this name resolves to the same.

• It aliases hostnames: www → example.com is the classic case.

• It must be the ONLY record at its name — no coexistence with A, MX or TXT.

• It cannot sit on the root domain — the apex needs an A record or flattening.

• It follows the target: change the target once, every alias follows.

The A-record comparison, the apex problem and the cPanel setup steps follow below. The direct-address counterpart is detailed in A record vs CNAME, and the wider system in what is DNS.

The Root-Domain Rule: Why the Apex Needs A or Flattening

Two practical notes on canonical name: it interacts directly with caching and database response, and misconfiguration is the most common cause of 'hosting is slow' tickets. WebJi® support checks it as part of standard migrations.

Common Uses: www, CDN and SaaS Verification

Put a cache in front of pages that do not change per visitor, and keep cart, checkout and account pages uncached. After a DNS or cache change, test in a private window so your own browser cache does not lie. Lower the DNS TTL a day before a move, then raise it once the new target is confirmed.

Creating a CNAME in the cPanel Zone Editor

Two practical notes on root domain restriction: it interacts directly with caching and database response, and misconfiguration is the most common cause of 'hosting is slow' tickets. WebJi® support checks it as part of standard migrations.

CNAME Not Working: Propagation and Conflicts

How this plays out with A record: settings that look cosmetic usually decide page speed and uptime under real traffic. The defaults WebJi® ships are tuned for Indian network conditions, and support can review your setup on request.

CNAME Flattening (Workaround Explained)

On www CNAME, the honest summary is that defaults matter more than brand names — a well-set budget plan outranks a mis-tuned premium one. WebJi® documents its defaults openly and adjusts them per ticket when workloads need it.