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Give your developer portfolio a professional identity with a custom domain and free HTTPS. Learn how DNS records, domain verification, and edge SSL work, how to configure your domain correctly, and how to troubleshoot common connection issues.
Your developer portfolio is more than a collection of projects. It's your professional identity on the internet. And while a URL such as yourname.github.io or yourname.vercel.app works perfectly well, a custom domain like yourname.dev or yourname.com can make your portfolio easier to remember and share.
There's just one more thing you need to get right: HTTPS.
When someone visits your portfolio, their browser should establish a secure connection without displaying certificate warnings. The good news is that you can often configure HTTPS and edge SSL without paying for a separate certificate.
In this guide, we'll explain how custom domains work, how DNS records connect your domain to your portfolio, how free edge SSL protects visitors, and how to troubleshoot common configuration problems.
A custom domain is a web address that you register and configure for your website.
For example, imagine you're a computer science student applying for software development internships.
You could share a portfolio at:
alex-dev.vercel.appalexdeveloper.github.ioalexmorgan.devAll three can host a portfolio, but the last example gives you a domain you control through your registrar's DNS settings.
A custom domain can help you:
A custom domain doesn't automatically improve your chances of getting hired. The quality of your projects and the clarity of your presentation still matter most. The domain simply makes your work easier to access and share.
When you visit a website over HTTPS, your browser establishes an encrypted connection using TLS, the technology commonly referred to as SSL.
Although people still say "SSL certificate," modern websites use TLS.
Edge SSL means that TLS is terminated at an edge server, usually a reverse proxy or content delivery network (CDN), located between your visitor and your website's origin server.
Here's a simplified view of the request flow:
Visitor's Browser
|
| HTTPS request
v
Edge Network / CDN
|
| Secure connection to origin
v
Your Portfolio Hosting Server
The edge network presents a certificate for your domain and handles the browser-facing encrypted connection. Depending on the configuration, it can also cache content, reduce latency, and provide additional security features.
Not necessarily. Several hosting platforms and CDN providers offer automatically provisioned certificates at no additional charge on eligible plans.
However, free edge SSL doesn't mean every part of your infrastructure is automatically secured. If your CDN connects to your origin server over plain HTTP, that connection isn't encrypted.
For a production website, configure HTTPS at the edge and use an appropriate secure connection to the origin as well.
Before connecting your domain, make sure you have the following:
alexmorgan.dev or alexmorgan.com.You don't need to buy a separate SSL certificate if your hosting platform or CDN provides one that meets your requirements.
One important distinction: a domain registration, DNS hosting, website hosting, and SSL certificates are separate services. Some providers combine them, while others let you choose each service independently.
Start with your hosting provider, not your DNS dashboard.
Open your deployed project and look for a setting called something like "Domains," "Custom Domains," or "Domain Management."
Add the domain you want to use, such as:
alexmorgan.dev
You may also want to add the www version:
www.alexmorgan.dev
Your provider should tell you which DNS records to create. Depending on the platform, it may ask for an A record, an AAAA record, a CNAME record, or a combination.
Use the exact values provided by your hosting platform. Don't copy an IP address or CNAME target from an unrelated tutorial because these values vary by provider and deployment.
If you're using a portfolio builder, first check whether it supports custom domains on your plan. Some builders offer a platform-provided subdomain but require a particular plan or setup for custom domains.
DNS, or the Domain Name System, translates domain names into the destinations that browsers and other clients can reach.
You'll configure DNS records wherever your domain's authoritative DNS is managed. That may be your registrar, a dedicated DNS provider, or a CDN such as Cloudflare.
The two most common record types for a portfolio are A and CNAME.
An A record maps a hostname to an IPv4 address.
For example:
| Type | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| A | @ | Your hosting provider's IPv4 address |
The @ symbol commonly represents the root domain, such as alexmorgan.dev.
Only use the address supplied by your hosting provider.
A CNAME record points a hostname to another hostname.
For example:
| Type | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| CNAME | www | Your provider's assigned hostname |
This is a representative example, not a universal configuration. Replace the destination with the exact hostname supplied by your host.
A CNAME is often used for www because the hosting provider can manage changes behind its assigned hostname.
An AAAA record maps a hostname to an IPv6 address. Add one only if your hosting provider instructs you to do so.
An incorrect or outdated AAAA record can cause some visitors to reach the wrong destination over IPv6, even when your IPv4 configuration works.
You have two common options:
alexmorgan.dev as your primary domain.www.alexmorgan.dev as your primary domain.Both can work. Pick one as the canonical URL and redirect the other to it.
For example, if the root domain is your primary URL, visitors to www.alexmorgan.dev should be redirected to alexmorgan.dev using your hosting platform or edge provider's supported redirect configuration.
Avoid configuring the same hostname with conflicting DNS records. If you already have an A, AAAA, or CNAME record for a hostname, check the provider's instructions before adding another.
Once your domain is attached and the required DNS records are configured, the next step is to enable HTTPS.
There are two common approaches.
Many managed hosting platforms automatically issue and renew TLS certificates after they verify that you control the domain.
The process usually looks like this:
Some providers also support HTTP-to-HTTPS redirects automatically.
This is usually the simplest option when the hosting platform already manages certificates for your website.
If your hosting setup supports it, Cloudflare can provide a free edge certificate for eligible domains using its standard services.
A typical setup is:
Cloudflare's exact setup depends on your hosting provider, DNS configuration, and whether the origin already supports HTTPS.
If you're using Cloudflare as a reverse proxy, the encryption mode determines how Cloudflare connects to your origin server.
For a properly configured production setup, Full (strict) is generally the preferred option when your origin has a valid, trusted certificate or an appropriate Cloudflare Origin CA certificate.
Cloudflare Origin CA certificates are intended for the Cloudflare-to-origin connection. They aren't a substitute for a publicly trusted certificate when visitors connect directly to your origin.
If your hosting provider already supplies a valid origin certificate, you can usually use Full (strict) without installing another certificate yourself.
Important: Don't switch to Full (strict) until your origin is configured to support HTTPS with a certificate Cloudflare accepts. Fix the origin configuration first to avoid errors.
You can find the provider's current instructions in the Cloudflare SSL/TLS documentation.
Once DNS and SSL configuration are complete, test the actual domain rather than assuming that the dashboard status tells the whole story.
Open both URLs in a browser:
https://alexmorgan.devhttps://www.alexmorgan.devReplace these example URLs with your own domain.
Confirm that:
Visit the HTTP version:
http://alexmorgan.dev
If you've enabled an HTTP-to-HTTPS redirect, the browser should be redirected to the secure version.
Make sure the redirect doesn't create a loop between your hosting platform and CDN.
You can inspect DNS from your terminal with commands such as:
nslookup alexmorgan.dev
Or, if you have dig installed:
dig alexmorgan.dev A
dig www.alexmorgan.dev CNAME
These commands help inspect DNS responses, but the exact expected output depends on your provider. A proxied hostname may return edge-network IP addresses rather than your origin server's IP.
You can also use a public DNS lookup service to inspect records from outside your local network.
Custom-domain setup is usually straightforward, but a few common mistakes can delay the process.
Possible cause: The DNS record points to the wrong destination, the domain hasn't been attached to the correct project, or the DNS change hasn't propagated.
What to do:
Possible cause: The provider hasn't verified the domain, the DNS records aren't correct, or certificate issuance is still in progress.
What to do:
Don't keep deleting and recreating the domain unless the provider's instructions recommend it.
Possible cause: You configured one hostname but forgot to add the other to your hosting platform or DNS.
What to do:
These errors generally indicate a problem with the TLS connection between Cloudflare and the origin.
Check that the origin server supports HTTPS, that its certificate is valid for the hostname, and that the server presents the correct certificate chain.
If you're using a Cloudflare Origin CA certificate, make sure the origin is configured with that certificate and private key correctly.
Possible cause: Different DNS resolvers may still have cached old records, or your DNS configuration may be inconsistent.
What to do:
DNS changes don't all propagate at the same instant. The delay depends on factors such as TTL values, resolver caches, and the type of change.
Possible cause: Your HTTPS page is loading some assets over HTTP.
What to do:
A valid certificate alone won't fix insecure asset URLs embedded in your website.
Your total cost depends on the services you choose.
| Component | Typical cost | |---|---| | Domain registration | Usually paid, with pricing depending on the extension and registrar | | Static portfolio hosting | Often available on a free tier | | Managed hosting SSL | Often included on eligible plans | | Cloudflare edge SSL | Available at no additional charge on eligible services | | DNS hosting | Often free, depending on provider | | Custom domain renewal | Usually paid annually |
These are general pricing categories, not a guarantee that every feature is free on every plan. Check the current terms of your registrar, host, and CDN.
The key distinction is that a free certificate doesn't make the domain itself free. You can often avoid certificate fees, though, while keeping your portfolio hosted on a free tier.
If your main goal is to publish a professional portfolio, you may not want to spend hours managing DNS, certificate provisioning, deployment settings, and redirects.
A portfolio platform can reduce the amount of infrastructure you need to manage.
For example, Profilix helps developers present their projects, professional information, and career identity in one place.
If you use any portfolio builder, check its custom-domain support, plan restrictions, HTTPS configuration, and domain verification process before choosing it. Some platforms provide a ready-to-use subdomain, while custom domains may require additional setup.
The best choice depends on your priorities. Building your own site gives you more control over the stack, while a managed platform lets you spend more time improving the projects recruiters will actually see.
Connecting a custom domain to your developer portfolio doesn't have to be expensive or complicated.
Register a domain, attach it to your hosting provider, configure the required DNS records, and enable HTTPS through your host or an edge provider that offers free certificates.
Before calling the setup complete, test both your root and www domains, verify redirects, check certificate status, and confirm that your assets load securely.
A professional domain and working HTTPS won't replace strong projects or a good resume. They do help you present your work through a reliable, memorable web address.
Build a portfolio worth visiting, secure it properly, and make it easy for recruiters to find your work.
Looking for a place to showcase your developer journey? Explore Profilix and build a professional online presence for your projects and career.
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