Multiple GitHub Pages and custom domains via DNS

77
votes

I want to have one user page and multiple project pages hosted by GitHub Pages but available under ONE custom domain (with subdomains for each GitHub Pages repository, of course). So my goals are as follows:

As of my current understanding, GitHub Pages do only allow ONE CNAME resource record for a page (both user pages and project pages) defined in the CNAME file in the root of a Git repository. I already tried out many things (playing around with DNS records and header redirects at my domain provider EUserv, but I can only access my GitHub user pages under one URL (http://blog.florianwolters.de). I am aware that DNS changes can take up until two days.

Can somebody explain to me, how I can achieve the goals described above? I can not believe that this is not possible but I am also no expert for DNS, etc.

If the above is not possible: What is your suggested workaround? I do want to access all my GitHub pages under one domain (and the subdomains of that domain).

Resources

3
githubdnssubdomaincnamegithub-pages
Not possible. See Multiple domains in CNAME file on My custom domain isn't working – Bengt
This blog post details the issue. captainwhippet.com/blog/2014/05/11/blog-setup-details.html – Steve Moser

3 Answers

77
votes

You can do it. Notice that all DNS CNAME entry point to the same host.

1: github.com/florianwolters/florianwolters.github.com

CNAME file content: blog.florianwolters.de

DNS CNAME: blog > florianwolters.github.com

2: github.com/florianwolters/pear/tree/gh-pages

CNAME file content: pear.florianwolters.de

DNS CNAME: pear > florianwolters.github.com

5
votes

You can either use one CNAME resource record or one A resource record together with GitHub Pages.

So, in conclusion one have to decide:

  • Either you use example.org and www.example.org (replace the existing A record with 204.232.175.78) ...
  • ... or a subdomain, e.g. blog.example.org (create a new CNAME record with <username>.github.com).

Now, you have to choose how-to map from one (sub)domain to another:

  • If using the first you can use redirects by utilizing HTTP headers from the desired subdomain(s) to example.org.
  • If using the latter you have to use header redirects from example.org and www.example.org to the desired subdomain(s).

Also, see GitHub Pages Help for help and my GitHub Pages repository for an example CNAME file.

Edit: GitHub Pages added a detailed page that describes how-to set up a custom domain here.

1
votes

You can only have one CNAME resource record for a page (both user pages and project pages) defined in the CNAME file in the root of a Git repository.

You can circumvent this by creating a CNAME record for your host(pear) in your DNS settings pointing to florianwolters.github.com, and making a entry in your CNAME file in repository for pear.florianwolters.de