mitcheman/domain

Bodega: Custom Domain

Sets up a custom domain (e.g., muddmannstudio.com) on the store. Can run during setup or standalone later.

Pre-checks

1. Read .bodega.md. Apply the resume contract from setup/SKILL.md. Substep labels (in order): domain-acquired → domain-bound-to-vercel → dns-configured → verification-confirmed. Resume picks up at domain.last_completed_step + 1.
2. Require state.hosting: done (the Vercel project must exist).
3. If state.domain: done, ask if the user wants to change domain.

Step 1 — Ask the branch

Do you already own the domain you want?

a. yes — I own it b. no — I need to buy one (~$12/year) c. stay on the free subdomain for now

Step 2a — Domain already owned

Ask which domain:

What's the domain? (e.g., muddmannstudio.com)

Validate syntax (RFC 1034/1035). Bind to Vercel:

vercel domains add <domain>
vercel domains inspect <domain>

Show the user the DNS records they need to add at their registrar:

A note on DNS notation

The "Name" field for the apex record varies by registrar — there is no universal convention. Tell the merchant which form their provider expects:

| Provider | Apex "Name" field accepts | What to type | |---|---|---| | GoDaddy, Namecheap, IONOS, Hover | @ | @ | | Cloudflare | bare domain or empty | muddmannstudio.com (Cloudflare auto-truncates) | | Squarespace / Google Domains | empty or @ | leave empty | | Bluehost, HostGator | @ or domain | either works | | Porkbun | @ | @ | | AWS Route 53 | bare domain | muddmannstudio.com |

When in doubt, the bare domain form (muddmannstudio.com) is the most universally accepted; @ is shorthand that most but not all registrars expand to the apex.

Simple voice:

To connect your domain, you'll add two small records at wherever you originally bought it (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google/Squarespace Domains, etc.). These records tell the internet: "when someone types this domain, send them to this store."

Log in at your domain provider and find the section labeled DNS, DNS settings, or Manage DNS. Add these two rows. The "Name" field varies by provider — use whichever form yours accepts:

Type: A
Name: @          (or your bare domain like muddmannstudio.com,
                  or leave empty — depends on the provider)
Value: 76.76.21.21

Type: CNAME
Name: www
Value: cname.vercel-dns.com

Then come back and run {{command_prefix}}bodega:domain again. The domain usually connects within 10 minutes, but sometimes takes up to 24 hours — that's normal waiting time, nothing you or I can speed up. If it's not ready when you check, just try again in an hour.

Developer voice:

DNS records (Name field varies by registrar — @, bare domain, or empty depending on provider): A @ | <domain> | (empty) 76.76.21.21 CNAME www cname.vercel-dns.com

Re-run {{command_prefix}}bodega:domain to verify after propagation.

Step 2b — Buying through us

We don't resell domains. Route to Cloudflare Registrar at wholesale:

Simple voice:

Cloudflare is a big internet company — they sell domain names at their actual wholesale cost, no markup. Most common endings (.com, .co, .net) run about $10–$15/year. Fancier ones like .shop or .store can be more.

Here's the flow:

1. Open this link in your browser: https://dash.cloudflare.com/sign-up?to=/registrar
2. Create a Cloudflare account (Google or email).
3. Search for the domain you want. If it's taken, try variations — adding "studio", "shop", or your city often works.
4. Buy it with a credit card. They'll email you a receipt.

The domain is in your name, on your Cloudflare account — I can't touch it. Come back and tell me the domain you bought, and I'll connect it to your store.

Developer voice:

Cloudflare Registrar (wholesale): https://dash.cloudflare.com/sign-up?to=/registrar Return with the domain; I'll set DNS + bind to Vercel.

Once the user returns with the domain, proceed as in Step 2a.

Step 2c — Stay on free subdomain

yaml state: domain: skipped

Exit. The site remains at the default Vercel URL (<slug>.vercel.app). Merchant can buy a custom domain later by running {{command_prefix}}bodega:domain again.

Step 3 — Verification (async)

Since DNS can take up to 24 hours, {{command_prefix}}bodega:domain is run twice:

1. First run: shows the records, exits
2. Second run: verifies with vercel domains inspect --json — checks isApex and verified: true

If NOT yet verified on the second run:

Simple voice:

Not live yet — the internet is still catching up. This is normal; it can take anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours depending on your domain provider. Some things to double-check:

• The two records are saved at your domain provider (some sites require hitting "Save" a second time)
• The values are exactly 76.76.21.21 and cname.vercel-dns.com, with no extra spaces

Try again in an hour. If it's still not working tomorrow, tell me and we'll dig in.

Developer voice:

✗ Not verified yet. DNS still propagating. Records look correct at the registrar? Retry in ~1 hour.

When verified:

Simple voice:

✓ Your domain is live! Your store is now at https://muddmannstudio.com

Developer voice:

✓ Domain verified and bound. https://<domain> → prj_abc123

Trigger a redeploy so the site uses the custom domain as the primary URL:

vercel deploy --prod

Step 4 — Update .bodega.md

state:
  domain: done
business:
  domain:
    value: muddmannstudio.com
    already_owned: true      # true if they had it, false if bought
    verified_at: 2026-04-22T15:00:00Z

Rules

• Don't block on DNS propagation. Exit after showing records; let the user re-run to verify.
• Don't claim domain ownership on behalf of the user. The registrant name/email is theirs, not ours. If we're helping them buy, it's on their Cloudflare account.
• Wildcard subdomains (Phase 2). If the user asks for shop.muddmannstudio.com or similar, we can bind it, but don't auto-offer. Keep Phase 1 simple.