Add domain ownership verification without CNAME record change

[josharian]

Author: shasderias
Channel: #feedback
Link: https://discord.com/channels/1405685085923049482/1405686161791516873/1527791466779377848

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Description

Add support for domain verification via TXT record (or similar method) without requiring an immediate CNAME record change. This would allow users to prove domain ownership before cutting over to the new site.

Problem

The current domain addition process requires changing the CNAME record immediately, which:

• Causes downtime when migrating from an already running site
• Is subject to DNS propagation delays and unpredictability
• Makes it difficult to migrate on short notice without careful TTL management

Proposed Solutions

1. TXT Record Verification: Allow adding a domain by verifying ownership through a specific TXT record, deferring the CNAME cutover to a later time
2. Query Authoritative Nameservers: Always query authoritative nameservers directly instead of relying on DNS propagation, which would also help recover from mistakes more easily

Current Workaround

Users can partially work around this by:

1. Reducing TTL before migration
2. Waiting for propagation
3. Cutting over the CNAME
4. Re-raising the TTL

However, this doesn't accommodate spontaneous migrations or urgent domain changes.