Our notes app has an API Gateway endpoint. In this chapter, we are going to look at how to set up custom domains for each of our environments. Recall that our environments are split across multiple AWS accounts.

We are going to setup the following custom domain scheme:

  • prod ⇒ ext-api.serverless-stack.com
  • dev ⇒ dev.ext-api.serverless-stack.com

Assuming that our domain is hosted in our Production AWS account. We want to set it up so that our Development AWS account can use the above subdomain. This takes an extra setup.

Delegate domains across AWS accounts

We are going to have to delegate the subdomain dev.ext-api.serverless-stack.com to be hosted in the Development AWS account. Just a quick note, as you follow these steps, pay attention to the account name shown at the top right corner of the screenshot. It’ll tell you which account we are working with.

First, go into your Route 53 console in your Development account.

Select Route 53 service

Click Hosted zones in the left menu. Then select Create Hosted Zone.

Select Create Hosted Zone

Select Create Hosted Zone at the top. Enter:

  • Domain Name: dev.ext-api.serverless-stack.com

Then click Create.

Created Hosted Zone in Route 53

Select the zone you just created.

Select Hosted Zone in Route 53

Click on the row with NS type. And copy the 4 lines in the Value field. We need this in the steps after.

Show NS Record Set in Route 53

Now, switch to the Production account where the domain is hosted. And go into Route 53 console.

Select the domain.

Select Route 53 in Production account

Click Create Record Set.

Select Create Record Set

Fill in:

  • Name: dev.ext-api
  • Type: NS - Name server

And paste the 4 lines from above in the Value field.

Click Create.

Created Record Set in Route 53

You should see a new dev.ext-api.serverless-stack.com row in the table.

Show subdomain delegated to Development account

Now we’ve delegated the dev.ext-api subdomain of serverless-stack.com to our Development AWS account. You can now head over to your app or to Seed and add this as a custom domain for the dev stage.

Go to the API app, and head into app settings.

Select app settings in Seed

Select Edit Custom Domains.

Select Edit Custom Domains

Both dev and prod endpoints are listed. Select Add on the prod endpoint.

Select Add domain for prod stage

Select the domain serverless-stack.com and enter the subdomain ext-api. Then select Add Custom Domain.

Select base domain and subdomain

The creation process will go through a couple of phases of

  • validating the domain is hosted on Route 53;
  • creating the SSL certificate; and
  • creating the API Gateway custom domain. Some of the steps are short-lived so you might not see all of them.

Show creating domain for prod stage

The last step is update the CloudFront distribution, which can take up to 40 minutes. You will be waiting on this step.

Show domain pending CloudFront update

While we wait, let’s setup the domain for our dev api. Select Add.

Select Add domain for dev stage

Select the domain dev.ext-api.serverless-stack.com and leave the subdomain empty. Then select Add Custom Domain.

Select base domain for dev stage

Similarly, you will wait for up to 40 minutes.

Show domain pending for dev stage

After 40 minutes, the domains will be ready.

Show custom domain created

Now we’ve delegated the dev.api subdomain of notes-app.com to our Development AWS account. We’ll be configuring our app to use these domains in a later chapter.

Next, let’s quickly look at how you’ll be managing the cost and usage for your two AWS accounts.