Hosting modes (Website / Forwarding / No hosting / Shop)
Every domain can run in one of four hosting modes. You set the mode on the domain's detail page — open Active Sites (or Domains), click the domain, and use the Hosting section.
Changing a domain's hosting mode
- Open the domain from Active Sites.
- In the Hosting section, pick a mode from the Hosting type dropdown.
- Fill in the fields that appear for that mode (see below).
- Click Save. The change applies immediately.
Website
Serves a website from files you upload. Choose this for a normal site.
- Document root — the folder your site files live in (a sensible default is set for you).
- PHP version — pick a PHP version, or "static" for plain HTML sites.
- Prefer www — "No preference", "Redirect to non-www", or "Redirect to www" to force one canonical form.
- Force HTTPS — tick to redirect all http traffic to https.
- Upload your files via the file manager or SFTP.
Forwarding (redirect)
Redirects every visitor to another URL. Use it to point a domain at an existing site.
- Set Hosting type to Forwarding (redirect).
- Enter the destination URL (e.g.
https://example.com). - Choose the redirect type (301 permanent is the usual choice).
- Save. The domain now 301-redirects to your target.
For clean HTTPS on the forwarding domain, it needs its own certificate — issue one under Certificates if the browser warns.
No hosting (DNS / mail only)
Serves no website at all. Choose this when you only want the domain for email or DNS, or while it's idle. The web vhost is removed; DNS and mail keep working. (If you want a tidy holding page instead of nothing, use Parking.)
Shop (Ecommerce)
Serves your online shop on the domain.
- First create and configure the shop under Ecommerce → Setup, and set the shop's Storefront Domain to this domain.
- Set the domain's Hosting type to Shop (Ecommerce) and Save.
- Visit the domain — your storefront loads.
If the domain doesn't match a configured shop, visitors see a "shop not configured" page (by design — it won't show another customer's shop). Make sure the shop's Storefront Domain matches.