The Testing Domain feature in Ploi allows you to test your sites on a temporary Ploi-provided domain before going live with your own domain. This is particularly useful when you want to verify your site configuration, test SSL functionality, or preview your site before pointing your DNS records to Ploi.

What is a testing domain?

A testing domain is a randomly-generated, temporary domain name provided by Ploi (e.g., beautiful-alpaca-abc123defgh.ploi.sh) that points directly to your site on your server. When enabled, your site becomes accessible via both your main domain and the testing domain.

Key features

• Automatic DNS configuration: Ploi automatically creates and manages the DNS records

• HTTPS enabled: Testing domains come with SSL/HTTPS support out of the box

• Temporary access: Perfect for testing before your main domain DNS is pointed to Ploi

• One-Click toggle: Enable or disable with a single click

Requirements

Before you can use the testing domain feature, make sure you meet these requirements:

1. Active subscription: You must have a paid Ploi subscription (not available on the free plan)

2. No existing SSL certificate: The testing domain cannot be enabled if your site already has an SSL certificate installed

How to use testing domains

Enabling a testing domain

1. Navigate to your site in the Ploi panel

2. Go to the Settings tab

3. Scroll to the Testing Domain section

4. Click the Enable test domain button

5. Accept the terms of service in the confirmation modal

6. Wait 5-10 minutes for DNS propagation

Once enabled, you'll see the testing domain URL displayed with a link to visit your site.

Accessing your testing domain

After enabling:

1. The testing domain will appear in your site's settings

2. You can click the external link icon next to the domain to visit your site

3. The testing domain is also accessible from the site navigation menu

Disabling a testing domain

1. Navigate to your site's Settings tab

2. Scroll to the Testing Domain section

3. Click the Disable test domain button

4. The testing domain will be removed and DNS records will be cleaned up automatically

Important considerations

WordPress sites

If you're using WordPress, you'll need to update your site URL in the WordPress database to match the testing domain. WordPress stores the site URL in the database (wp_options table), and this must match the domain you're accessing the site from.

Options:

• Use a WordPress plugin like "WP Migrate DB" to update URLs

• Manually update the siteurl and home values in wp_options

• Use WP-CLI: wp search-replace 'old-domain.com' 'testing-domain.ploi.test'

DNS propagation

After enabling a testing domain, DNS changes may take 5-10 minutes to propagate globally. If you can't access your testing domain immediately, wait a few minutes and try again.

Rate limiting

The testing domain toggle endpoint is rate-limited to 1 request per minute. If you see an error when trying to enable/disable, wait a minute before trying again.

Domain aliases

When a testing domain is enabled, it's automatically added to your site's domain aliases. This means your web server (Nginx) is configured to serve your site content for both your main domain and the testing domain.

Troubleshooting

Testing domain not working

DNS hasn't propagated yet

• Wait 5-10 minutes after enabling

• Try accessing from a different network or device

• Use a DNS checker tool to verify the A record exists

Certificate errors

• Testing domains use Cloudflare's SSL, which should work automatically

• Clear your browser cache and try again

• Try accessing in an incognito/private browsing window

Can't enable testing domain

"Not a valid subscription" error

• Verify you're on a paid Ploi plan

• Contact support if you believe this is an error

Button is disabled

• Check if your site already has an SSL certificate installed

• Testing domains cannot be enabled on sites with existing SSL certificates

Rate limit error (429)

• Wait at least 1 minute between enable/disable attempts

• Only one request per minute is allowed

WordPress site not loading correctly

Redirecting to main domain

• Update WordPress site URL in the database

• Check your .htaccess file for hardcoded domain redirects

• Verify no redirect rules in your WordPress configuration

Best practices

1. Use Testing Domains Early: Enable a testing domain as soon as you create your site to test configurations before DNS changes

2. Disable When Not Needed: Disable testing domains when you're done testing to keep your site configuration clean

3. Document the URL: If sharing with team members or clients, save the testing domain URL as it's randomly generated

4. Test Thoroughly: Use the testing domain to verify all functionality before switching your main domain to Ploi

Security & privacy

• Testing domains use HTTPS automatically via Cloudflare

• Testing domains are publicly accessible - anyone with the URL can access your site

• Don't use testing domains for production traffic - they're meant for temporary testing only

• Testing domains are tied to your account and only you can enable/disable them

Summary

The testing domain feature is a powerful tool that simplifies the process of testing and deploying sites on Ploi. By providing automatic DNS configuration, HTTPS support, and seamless integration with your site, testing domains help you confidently deploy and test your applications before going live.

For any questions or issues with testing domains, please contact Ploi support.