Custom Domains and Environments
Your own name and safe settings.
Custom Domains and Environments is a free Vibe Coding lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 3 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Vibe Coding learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
Make It Yours
Your app is live at my-app.vercel.app — great start! But to look professional, you want your own name, like myapp.com.
You also need a safe place to store secret settings (like API keys) without putting them in your code. That's what environments are for.
This lesson covers both: custom domains and environment variables — two finishing touches that make your app feel real.
What Is a Domain?
A domain is the human-friendly name people type to reach your app, like google.com or myapp.com.
The free .vercel.app or .netlify.app address works perfectly — but a custom domain:
- Looks more trustworthy and professional.
- Is easier to remember and share.
- Makes your project feel like a real product.
You buy a domain once (often $10–15/year) from a registrar like Namecheap, GoDaddy, or directly through Vercel.
Connecting Your Domain
Once you own a domain, connecting it is just a few clicks:
- In Vercel or Netlify, open your project's Domains settings.
- Type your domain (e.g.
myapp.com) and add it. - The host shows you DNS records to set at your registrar.
- Save those records, wait a few minutes, and your domain goes live.
If buying through Vercel itself, this is even simpler — it's all connected automatically.
DNS Without the Headache
DNS (Domain Name System) is like the internet's phone book — it maps your domain name to your app's host. It can look intimidating, but you rarely touch it directly.
The host tells you exactly which records to add. If anything looks confusing, paste it to AI and let it translate the steps into plain actions.
I bought myapp.com on Namecheap and deployed my app on Vercel.
Vercel told me to add these DNS records:
Type: A Name: @ Value: 76.76.21.21
Type: CNAME Name: www Value: cname.vercel-dns.com
Explain in beginner terms what these records do, and give me click-by-click steps to add them in Namecheap.HTTPS Comes Free
You may have noticed the padlock icon in your browser's address bar. That's HTTPS — it encrypts traffic so data is safe.
In the past, setting this up was painful. Today, Vercel and Netlify add HTTPS automatically to every domain, including custom ones, for free.
You don't configure anything. Your myapp.com will get the secure padlock on its own. One less thing to worry about.
What Are Environments?
An environment is a context your app runs in, with its own settings. Most apps have two:
- Development: on your laptop, while you build and test.
- Production: the live version real users see.
Why separate them? You might use a test database while building and the real one in production. Keeping them apart means experiments never break the live app.
Environment Variables
An environment variable is a named setting your app reads at runtime — instead of hard-coding a value, you store it outside the code.
Common examples: API keys, database URLs, feature flags. In JavaScript, you read them like this:
// Reading an environment variable in JavaScript
// (process.env holds your environment settings)
const apiUrl = process.env.API_URL || "https://api.example.com";
const isProd = process.env.NODE_ENV === "production";
console.log("Calling API at:", apiUrl);
console.log("Running in production?", isProd);Why Keys Don't Belong in Code
Imagine pasting your secret API key right into your code, then pushing it to GitHub. Now anyone who sees your repo has your key — they could run up huge bills or steal data.
Environment variables solve this. The secret lives in your host's settings, never in the code. Your repo stays safe to share.
- Bad:
const key = "sk-live-abc123..."in your code. - Good:
const key = process.env.API_KEYwith the value stored on the host.
Setting Variables on Your Host
Both Vercel and Netlify have a simple panel for this:
- Open your project's Settings → Environment Variables.
- Add a name (like
API_KEY) and its value. - Choose which environment it applies to (production, preview, development).
- Save — then redeploy so the app picks it up.
Now your code reads process.env.API_KEY and the host fills in the real secret at runtime. Safe and clean.
Let AI Set It All Up
Domains and environment variables are exactly the kind of setup where AI shines. Describe your situation and let it produce a checklist tailored to you.
My app is deployed on Vercel. I want to finish setting it up properly.
Help me with two things, step by step:
1. Connect my custom domain "myapp.com" (I bought it on GoDaddy).
2. Move my OpenAI API key out of my code and into a Vercel environment variable, then read it safely in my JavaScript.
Give me a clear, numbered checklist for a beginner.Keep a .env File Locally
While building on your laptop, you store the same variables in a special file called .env. It sits in your project but is never pushed to GitHub.
A .env file looks like this:
API_KEY=sk-test-12345API_URL=https://api.example.com
Crucially, you add .env to a file called .gitignore so Git skips it. Ask AI: "Add a .env file and make sure Git ignores it." The local file feeds development; the host's panel feeds production.
Quick Check
Domains and secrets — two pro touches. Let's confirm the key idea.
Recap: Polished and Secure
Your app now feels like a real product:
- A custom domain replaces the default link — just add it and set DNS records.
- HTTPS (the secure padlock) is added free and automatically.
- Environments separate development from production.
- Environment variables keep secrets out of your code — set them on the host and in a git-ignored
.envlocally. - AI can generate a tailored setup checklist for all of it.
Next: shipping updates to your live app safely, without breaking things.
Frequently asked questions
Is the “Custom Domains and Environments” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Custom Domains and Environments” is free to read here on the web, and the Vibe Coding course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Vibe Coding course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “Custom Domains and Environments”?
Your own name and safe settings. You practise Vibe Coding with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start Vibe Coding?
No prior experience is required. Vibe Coding on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 3 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “Custom Domains and Environments” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this Vibe Coding lesson?
Yes. Every Vibe Coding lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- What Deploying Means
- Deploying to Vercel or Netlify
- Custom Domains and Environments
- Updating a Live App