A subdomain creates an address beneath a domain you own, such as shop.example.com or help.example.com. It can point to a separate website folder, an application or another service. A redirect sends a visitor from one web address to another. These are different operations: creating a DNS record connects a name to a destination, while an HTTP redirect tells a browser to request a different URL.
IN THIS ARTICLE
01 Connect a subdomain to its application
- For a subdomain hosted with us, add it through the domain controls available in your Account Manager or cPanel and confirm the intended document root.
- If your domain's authoritative DNS is managed elsewhere, add the matching DNS record there as well.
- Then check that the application is configured for the new address and that the SSL certificate covers that hostname.
A subdomain does not automatically inherit every application's settings or its own independent resource allowance.
02 Create and test a website redirect
For a redirect, choose the source domain or path, enter the complete destination address, and select whether the move is temporary or permanent. A permanent redirect is appropriate when an address has moved for the foreseeable future. A temporary redirect is useful for a short-lived change. Consider whether the redirect should preserve individual page paths before applying it across an entire site.
Test several representative pages after saving, including the home page, a deeper link and the HTTPS version. Check for loops caused by competing rules in the hosting panel, the application or a proxy service. Keep valid SSL coverage on an old HTTPS address while it is still used to redirect visitors. If the result is unexpected, remove or correct the specific new rule rather than resetting all domain settings, which can disturb unrelated websites and email services.
How can I test a redirect without creating a loop?
- Write down the original URL, intended destination and whether the change is temporary or permanent.
- Inspect existing application, hosting-panel and proxy redirects before adding another rule.
- Test the homepage, a deeper path and the HTTPS form of the old address, and confirm that the destination is reached without repeated redirects.
The old HTTPS hostname still needs valid TLS handling while visitors use it. DNS pointing alone does not perform an HTTP redirect, and a forwarding rule does not automatically preserve email service. Keep a record of the specific new rule so you can reverse that change without resetting unrelated domain settings.