FAQ
01 // Questions
faq/is-runs-at-dev-really-free.json
Is runs-at.dev really free?
Yes. Claiming and keeping a name costs nothing, and every eligible GitHub account includes one. It is a free, best-effort service, and the policy explains the terms, including that names can be reclaimed.
faq/is-runs-at-dev-a-domain-i-own.json
Is runs-at.dev a domain I own?
No. runs-at.dev is the parent domain, registered and renewed by its operator. What you claim is a subdomain beneath it, such as yourname.runs-at.dev, recorded against your GitHub account. You do not own or renew the parent domain. Free subdomain vs free domain covers the practical difference.
faq/how-many-domains-can-i-have.json
How many domains can I have?
One domain is included with each eligible GitHub account. The administrator can grant additional domain slots to an account, and you claim each extra name yourself. All the names you own are listed together on runs-at.dev/manage, behind a single GitHub sign-in.
faq/how-do-i-get-a-free-subdomain.json
How do I get a free subdomain?
Check a name on the homepage, sign in with GitHub, claim it, then point it at your hosting or keep the default profile card. The quickstart walks through each step.
faq/what-are-the-eligibility-rules.json
What are the eligibility rules?
Your GitHub account must be at least 30 days old and have at least one public repository. Both are checked at the moment you claim, whether on the website or by pull request.
faq/what-names-can-i-claim.json
What names can I claim?
A name is 2 to 32 characters of lowercase letters, digits and hyphens. It cannot start or end with a hyphen, cannot have two hyphens as its third and fourth characters, and cannot be a reserved name or one already claimed.
faq/can-i-use-the-subdomain-for-commercial-projects.json
Can I use the subdomain for commercial projects?
The policy does not restrict commercial use. Its other terms still apply: the service is best effort with no uptime guarantee, and a name used for impersonation, phishing, malware or illegal content is removed.
faq/can-i-use-it-with-github-pages-vercel-netlify-or-cloudflare-pages.json
Can I use it with GitHub Pages, Vercel, Netlify, or Cloudflare Pages?
Yes. Each has a step-by-step guide: free subdomain for GitHub Pages, free subdomain for Vercel, free subdomain for Netlify and free subdomain for Cloudflare Pages.
faq/can-i-manage-dns-records.json
Can I manage DNS records?
Yes, for your own name. You can point it at a host with a CNAME, publish A, AAAA, TXT and MX records, redirect it, or leave it on the profile card, and add records on labels below your name for things like provider verification. A CNAME cannot share the name with other records. The DNS record reference lists everything.
faq/can-i-use-email-with-it.json
Can I use email with it?
runs-at.dev does not host mailboxes. You can publish MX records on your name so mail for it reaches an email or forwarding service you choose; the email forwarding guide shows one way to set that up.
faq/is-a-subdomain-good-for-seo.json
Is a subdomain good for SEO?
A subdomain is treated as its own site, and it can be indexed and ranked like any other. Whether it does well depends mostly on the content and the links pointing to it, not on the address alone; nothing guarantees a ranking. The SEO guide covers canonical addresses and search console verification.
faq/can-i-redirect-a-name.json
Can I redirect a name?
Yes. A URL record sends visitors to another address with a temporary 307 redirect. Nothing is served at the name itself, so a redirect is a handy short link rather than something that will rank.
faq/can-a-claimed-name-be-reclaimed.json
Can a claimed name be reclaimed?
Yes. The operator reserves the right to reclaim any name, including one that has gone dormant. A name used for impersonation, phishing, malware or illegal content is removed without notice by a maintainer. You can also release your own name at any time from runs-at.dev/manage. The policy has the full wording.
faq/what-happens-if-i-stop-using-the-name.json
What happens if I stop using the name?
Nothing happens automatically on a timer, but the policy treats an abandoned name, with no working site or an inactive owner, as dormant and open to being reclaimed. If you no longer need it, releasing it frees your slot and lets someone else claim it.
faq/can-i-claim-through-github-instead-of-the-website.json
Can I claim through GitHub instead of the website?
Yes. Add a single record file for your name to the public registry in a pull request. Automated checks confirm the name, your eligibility and that you have a free slot, and a slot is held for the name while the pull request is open. If it is merged, the name is yours; if it is closed unmerged, the slot is released. The quickstart shows the record format.
faq/what-happens-if-the-service-shuts-down.json
What happens if the service shuts down?
The policy describes runs-at.dev as a best-effort service with no uptime guarantee and makes no promise beyond that. Every name depends on runs-at.dev staying in service, so keep that in mind for anything you cannot afford to lose.
faq/what-does-public-by-design-mean.json
What does public by design mean?
Each claimed name is a small record in a public repository, showing who owns it and where it points, with its full change history. The registry and this site are open source, so the rules that decide a claim can be read by anyone.
faq/where-can-i-check-whether-my-subdomain-works.json
Where can I check whether my subdomain works?
Sign in to runs-at.dev/manage: each name has a status panel that says whether visitors reach your site, are being redirected, still see the profile card, or get no answer. For a shareable diagnosis, open runs-at.dev/debug/ followed by your name. The DNS record reference helps when a record needs fixing.