How I Connected My Custom Subdomain to Hashnode in Minutes (Step-by-Step Guide)

Having a developer blog is a great way to document your learning journey, share solutions, and grow your personal brand. Recently, I connected my custom subdomain, blog.iamdipankarpaul.com, to my Hashnode blog. In this article, I’ll walk you through why I chose Hashnode, why linking a custom subdomain matters, and how you can set it up for your own blog.

Why I Chose Hashnode for My Developer Blog

As a developer, I was looking for a fast blogging platform, focused on tech content, SEO-friendly, and developer-centric. After trying out a few options, Hashnode stood out for several reasons:

• Developer-Focused Community: Hashnode is built specifically for developers. You write for people who understand your content and value your insights.

• Fast and Minimal: Clean writing experience, blazing-fast performance.

• Free Custom Domain Support: Unlike many platforms, Hashnode lets you use your own domain or subdomain for free.

• SEO and Analytics Ready: Out-of-the-box SEO optimization and traffic analytics without the need for third-party plugins.

If you’re a developer or a tech enthusiast, Hashnode is a solid choice for hosting your blog.

Why Connect a Custom Subdomain?

By default, Hashnode gives you a yourblog.hashnode.dev address. But using your own domain or subdomain has many advantages:

• Branding: Your domain reflects your identity (like blog.iamdipankarpaul.com), helping build a professional image.

• Trust and Credibility: A custom domain looks more polished and trustworthy.

• SEO Benefits: Linking your subdomain helps drive traffic to your primary domain and keeps your digital presence consistent.

• Future-Proofing: If you ever move platforms, you can keep the same URL structure without affecting SEO or reader access.

Now that you know why, let me show you how to do it.

How to Connect a Custom Subdomain to Your Hashnode Blog

Here’s a step-by-step guide I followed to point my subdomain blog.iamdipankarpaul.com to my Hashnode blog.

1. Configure Your Subdomain in Hashnode

1. Log in to your Hashnode account.

2. Click your profile picture (top right) and choose "Manage your blogs".

3. Select the blog you want to set up, and go to its Dashboard.

4. Click the Domain tab on the left sidebar.

5. Under the Custom Domain section, enter your subdomain (e.g., blog.iamdipankarpaul.com).
   Note: Don’t include www or https://.

6. Click Update to save.

2. Update DNS Records in Your Domain Provider

Now, you’ll need to configure your domain’s DNS settings.

1. Log in to your domain registrar (e.g., Namecheap, GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Hostinger).

2. Navigate to the DNS Management or DNS Editor section.

3. Add a new CNAME record with these details:

    Name/Host:  blog
    Type:       CNAME
    Value:      hashnode.network
    TTL:        Default or 1 hour
   

   Don’t worry Hashnode will provide all these details.

4. Save the DNS record.

Be cautious with the record type, ensure it’s CNAME and not A or TXT.

3. Wait for DNS Propagation

DNS updates typically take a few minutes to 24 hours to fully propagate.

Hashnode will automatically detect the changes and provision an SSL certificate once the setup is successful. You’ll have a secure https://blog.yourdomain.com connection without extra steps.

4. Verify the Connection on Hashnode

1. Go back to your blog’s Domain tab in the Hashnode dashboard.

2. You’ll see a green checkmark or success message once the domain is correctly mapped.

If you see an error or it’s taking too long, double-check your DNS settings or wait a bit longer (at least 24 hours).

Final Notes and Tips

• Want a different subdomain like journal.yourdomain.com or notes.yourdomain.com? Just update the DNS and Hashnode settings with your chosen subdomain.

• Facing issues? Reach out to Hashnode’s support or double-check your DNS provider’s settings.

• This process works with most domain registrars, including Namecheap, GoDaddy, Google Domains, Hostinger, and Cloudflare.

Conclusion

Setting up a custom subdomain for your Hashnode blog is simple, free, and incredibly beneficial for branding and long-term consistency. If you’re serious about blogging as a developer, take a few minutes to connect your domain; it’s worth it.

If you’ve followed this guide and found it helpful, feel free to share it!