What is a technical domain? Advantages and disadvantages of technical domain on hosting

When you buy a hosting or a server from us, we will give you a technical domain, which may turn out to be a perfect testing ground for you. Wondering if you should use a technical domain? What is a technical domain anyway and what are its advantages and disadvantages? Let’s start from the beginning, though.

What is a technical domain and what is it used for?

Every customer who creates a hosting account with us or buys a server, receives a free technical domain as a gift from us. This domain will allow you to safely and conveniently test the operation and functionality of websites, web applications or stores even before they are connected to their target domain.

Technical domains always lead to the directory: /public_html. On the other hand, when you connect an additional domain to your hosting account, then it will point to the directory: ADDITIONAL-DOMAIN.PL. It is in this directory that all files of a website plugged into this domain will be located.

If in the future you would like to test a new layout or functionality of your website or store, then all you need to do is to create a new directory within your technical domain – e.g.: public_html/TEST-NOW-SITE. Then you upload the files of your new website to this directory. In order to check the appearance or functionality of the new website or store, you will then have to enter the following address in your browser DOMAIN-TECHNICAL/TEST-NEW-SITE.

Note that the new version of the site will be easily accessible by typing in its address, but will not be visible from your current domain.

To sum up: a technical domain enables you to perform various kinds of tests and activities within your hosting account in a safe and convenient way.

Check also: How long does it take and how does a site migration work?

What are the advantages of a technical domain?

The advantages of tech domains are quite numerous – as are the benefits of using them.

Let’s start with the savings. With a technical domain automatically assigned to your hosting account, you don’t have to buy an additional domain that would allow you to use the server or hosting.

A significant benefit is also a significant time savings. When transferring from a technical domain to a target domain, you don’t have to wait for DNS propagation because it’s a record that exists in the collective domain.

Read also: What is a DNS system?

What’s more, if one of your hosted domains expires, then you don’t have to swap the domain afterwards as you would with the main hosting domain.

The last advantage we described earlier. It is the possibility of safe and efficient creation of test versions of websites and their later transfer to target domains.

Using a technical domain is not without its disadvantages

If you put WordPress or any other CMS on a technical domain, then you will have to update all the links from the previous domain to the new one you want to use. This is quite a time-consuming task in case of extensive sites.

You also need to be aware that if the hosting technical domain expires or fails, then you will lose access to your site if it uses it. Hostings have no obligation to take care of technical domains and sometimes stop supporting them.

Our customers also often forget about the fact that sending spam from a technical domain affects the reputation of any domains within the technical domain and can lead to filtering of emails sent from subdomains. Despite your hosting efforts, remember that a technical domain is really a subdomain within a certain domain.

Besides, it is not always possible to generate a free SSL certificate for subdomains due to limits set by certification authorities.

In a word of summary

Tech domains are extremely useful and we strongly encourage you to use them when you are doing upgrade work, putting up new stores or sites, or testing their new functionality.