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App Deployment and Custom Domains

Once you have built your app using Abacus AI Agent, the next step is to deploy it so that your users can access it through a public URL. Whether you are sharing an early version with your team or launching a fully developed application for wider use, this guide will walk you through each part of the deployment process.

This document includes:

  1. Introduction to Deployments
  2. Deployment on Abacus.AI
  3. Deployment on Custom Domains
  4. Deployment on Custom Subdomain
  5. Frequently Asked Questions

1. Introduction to Deployments​

Abacus.AI offers three ways to deploy your application. Use the table below to decide which option works best for your needs:

OptionAbacus.AI DomainCustom DomainCustom Subdomain
Example URLyoursite.abacusai.appyoursite.comapp.yoursite.com
Best ForQuick demos, testing, or sharing your work without setupWhen you want to host your app on a custom domain or personalized web addressWhen you already have a website and want to host the app on a subdomain
Domain OwnershipNo domain purchase requiredYou must own the domain and verify it with Abacus.AIYou must own the subdomain and verify the subdomain with Abacus.AI
Setup RequirementsNo setup neededAdd A records (or CNAME records) at your DNS provider, or point the domain to Abacus.AI nameserversAdd A records (or CNAME records) for the subdomain at your DNS provider

2. Deployment on Abacus.AI​

Follow these steps to deploy your application on the default Abacus.AI domain.​

Step 1: Start the Deployment​

Click the Deploy button located in the top right corner of your app interface.

Step 2: Choose Domain Type​

A dialog will appear with domain options. Select Abacus.AI Domain as your deployment type.

Step 3: Enter Your Subdomain​

In the input box, type your desired subdomain.

For example: myapp.abacusai.app, then click Deploy to publish your application.

Step 4: Test Your Deployed App​

Once deployed, a public URL will be generated and displayed in the Deployed URL field. Open this link in your browser to test and share your app. It may take a few minutes (~5 minutes) for your URL to be active.

3. Deployment on Custom Domains​

Deployment Guide​

Step 1: Add a Custom Domain​
  • Click the Deploy button in your app's conversation.
  • Click the Manage Domains button.
  • Click the Add New button and enter your domain name.
Step 2: Update DNS Records and Verify Ownership​

You can verify your domain by choosing one of the two options:

A. Automatic Configuration

We have partnered with Entri to offer seamless domain DNS configuration. You just need to single sign-on (SSO) to your domain provider using Entri, and your DNS records will be automatically added.

B. Manual Configuration

Choose one of two methods to verify your domain:

  1. A Records (Recommended — works with every DNS provider): Keep DNS management with your provider. The console shows two A records — one for the root domain (@) and one for www — pointing at the Abacus.AI IP address. Add both at your DNS provider exactly as shown.

    Prefer CNAME records? Below the A records, click Want to use CNAME records instead? to see the equivalent CNAME records (root and www) pointing at the Abacus.AI hostname shown. Use one option or the other — a name cannot carry both an A record and a CNAME. A CNAME on the root/apex domain (@) requires a DNS provider that supports CNAME flattening or ALIAS/ANAME records (Cloudflare does; many registrars do not).

  2. Nameservers (NS Records): Point your domain to the two Abacus.AI nameservers shown in the console. Abacus.AI then manages all DNS for the domain, and you can add other records (MX, TXT, etc.) from the Apps Management Console via DNS & Settings next to the domain.

After you add the records, the domain shows DNS verification in progress; Abacus.AI re-checks automatically and flips it to Ready for Deploy once your DNS changes have propagated (usually minutes, up to 48 hours). If a record is detected with a different value than the one shown, it is flagged as Incorrect record detected so you can fix it at your provider.

Note:
For subdomains of domains purchased through Abacus.AI, or of domains verified using nameservers, the DNS records are configured automatically — no action is needed on your side.

Step 3: Deploy Your App​
  • After successful verification, the domain shows Verified in Manage Domains.
  • Open Deploy, choose Custom Domain, pick your domain under Select custom domain, and click Deploy.
  • Your application will now be live and accessible via your chosen URL.

4. Deployment on Custom Subdomain​

Deployment Guide​

Step 1: Add a Custom Subdomain​
  • Click the Deploy button in your app's conversation.
  • Click the Manage Domains button.
  • Click the Add New button and enter your subdomain name.
Step 2: Update DNS Records and Verify Ownership​

You can verify your subdomain by choosing one of the two options:

A. Automatic Configuration

We have partnered with Entri to offer seamless domain DNS configuration. You just need to single sign-on (SSO) to your domain provider using Entri, and your DNS records will be automatically added.

B. Manual Configuration

Keep DNS management with your provider and add the two A records shown in the console — one for the subdomain and one for its www variant — pointing at the Abacus.AI IP address. If you prefer CNAME records (for example, your subdomain is proxied through Cloudflare), click Want to use CNAME records instead? below the records and add those instead — one option or the other, not both. The subdomain shows DNS verification in progress until the records propagate, then Ready for Deploy.

Note:
For subdomains of domains purchased through Abacus.AI, or of domains verified using nameservers, the DNS records are configured automatically — no action is needed on your side.

Step 3: Deploy Your App​
  • After successful verification, the subdomain shows Verified in Manage Domains.
  • Open Deploy, choose Custom Domain, pick your subdomain under Select subdomain, and click Deploy.
  • Your application will now be live and accessible via your chosen URL.

5. Frequently Asked Questions​

Can I buy a domain through Abacus?​

Yes, you can search for and purchase domains directly on Abacus and use them to publish your apps. Learn more about purchasing domains here.

What is the pricing for hosting my website on my own domain?​

There is no extra cost; it's included in your monthly subscription.

How long does it take for the domain/subdomain to get verified?​

It usually takes between 5 minutes to 48 hours from the time you update the DNS records for a domain/subdomain to get verified and be available for you to deploy.

What does the verification status mean?​

The verification status tells you whether your domain or subdomain has been successfully verified with Abacus.AI. This status must be "Verified" before you can deploy your app.

Here is what each status means:

  • Verified: Your domain or subdomain has been successfully verified and is ready for deployment.
  • Pending: Your domain registration was not completed successfully. Please retry the domain registration process.
  • In progress: Ensure your DNS records are updated. If they're already set, verification is underway and should complete within 48 hours.
  • Failed: The verification attempt was unsuccessful. You may need to double-check your DNS settings and try the verification again.

Managing and updating other DNS records​

How you update MX, TXT, AAAA, or any other DNS records depends on how the domain was verified:

Case 1: Domain verified using nameservers​

If your domain was verified using nameserver records, you can update other DNS records on Abacus.AI:

  1. Open Manage Domains.
  2. Click DNS & Settings next to the domain.
  3. Under DNS Records, click Add Record, choose the record type (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX or TXT) and enter its values.
Case 2: Domain verified using A records​

If your domain was verified with A records, DNS stays with your provider: manage MX, TXT, AAAA, or any other records directly through your domain registrar or DNS provider's website, as you normally would.

What if I can't add the records shown, or I'd rather not manage DNS myself?​

Every DNS provider supports A records, so the default manual method works everywhere. If you would rather hand DNS management to Abacus.AI, or your registrar's DNS editor is limited, you have two options:

Option 1: Utilize Our Nameservers​

This approach involves using our nameservers.

To proceed with this option, please follow these instructions:

  1. Delete your previously added domain (if you had added) from Abacus.AI and clear any DNS records that may have been added during the configuration process at your domain provider.
  2. Re-add your domain in Abacus.AI, choose Manual Configuration, then Nameservers (NS Records). You will be provided with two nameservers.
  3. Add the two provided nameservers to your domain provider and allow time for your domain to be verified.
  4. (Optional) Once verified, if you need to add any other records (e.g., email-related DNS records), click on the gear icon within the "Manage Domains" pop-up in Abacus.AI.
Option 2: Configure a Subdomain​

This option allows you to configure a subdomain of yourdomain.com (e.g., app.yourdomain.com) with A records and deploy your application on that subdomain, leaving the root domain untouched.

To proceed with this option, please follow these instructions:

  1. Delete your previously added yourdomain.com domain from Abacus.AI and clear any DNS records that may have been added during the configuration process.
  2. Add your new subdomain. Enter the subdomain of your choice (e.g., app.yourdomain.com) and continue with the setup steps.

I use Cloudflare with proxied (orange-cloud) records, or a Cloudflare Worker in front of my domain. What should I do?​

Use the CNAME records option (click Want to use CNAME records instead? under the A records) and keep the records Proxied. Cloudflare only routes proxied traffic to another Cloudflare-served host ("orange-to-orange") through a CNAME — a proxied A record pointing at the Abacus.AI IP address fails with Cloudflare error 1000. With the CNAMEs in place, requests enter your Cloudflare zone first, so your Workers, WAF and rules run before the request reaches Abacus.AI.

Two things to check on your side:

  • A Worker on that hostname must pass requests through to the origin (fetch(request)), including requests under /.well-known/, which are used to validate your SSL certificate.
  • Verification works with proxied records: Abacus.AI recognises the hostname resolving to Cloudflare. If your zone's plan does not support orange-to-orange, set the CNAME records to DNS only instead — they then behave exactly like the A-record setup.

Which DNS record types can I use to verify my domain?​

  • A records — the default manual method for both domains and subdomains. Add the records shown in the console at your DNS provider.
  • CNAME records — an alternative to the A records, shown via Want to use CNAME records instead?. Required when the hostname is proxied through Cloudflare; on a root/apex domain your provider must support CNAME flattening or ALIAS/ANAME records.
  • Nameservers (NS Records) — point the domain at Abacus.AI nameservers and manage all DNS from Abacus.AI (root domains only).

Either method verifies the domain and issues its SSL certificate automatically; you do not need to add certificate-validation records yourself.

  1. Open Manage Domains.
  2. Click the Delete Domain (trash) icon in the Actions column.

If an app is currently deployed on the domain, stop that deployment first (Stop Deployment in the Deploy dialog) — the domain cannot be deleted while a deployment is active.

What are Deployment Tags and when should I use them?​

Deployment tags are custom labels you define that let you pin different domains to specific versions of your app. For example, you can keep myapp.com pointing to your stable production build while staging.myapp.com tracks a work-in-progress version, each updating independently when you deploy.

When deploying, only domains sharing the same tag are updated. Untagged deployments update all untagged domains, and tagged deployments update all domains with that tag.

  • If you assign a tag that is already in use, all domains sharing that tag will update together when you deploy.
  • Connected domains are grouped and sorted by tag in the deploy modal so you can see at a glance which domains belong to which environment.

Can multiple versions of the same application be deployed simultaneously?​

Yes, using deployment tags you can deploy multiple versions of the same application at the same time, each accessible via a unique domain. This allows you to:

  • Run A/B tests and experiments safely
  • Maintain separate environments (development, staging, production)
  • Test new features without impacting live users
  • Support different client or user-specific configurations