What Domain Connect does

Domain Connect is an open protocol standard, published under the MIT license, that simplifies Domain Name System (DNS) configuration for end users. It is designed and maintained by a community of developers across multiple companies, with the specification submitted to the IETF as a Proposed Standard Internet Draft (draft-kowalik-domainconnect) and a dedicated DCONN Working Group established to finalize standardization. The protocol addresses the long-standing friction between Service Providers (such as email, web hosting, and website-builder platforms) and DNS Providers (such as registrars and DNS hosts) by replacing the patchwork of custom integrations and documentation with a standardized interaction model. End users can connect a domain to a service without manually managing DNS record types, TTLs, or hostnames.

The protocol defines two interaction flows. The synchronous flow applies DNS changes immediately after user consent and supports optional digital signatures (using RSA 2048-bit key pairs with public keys published as DNS TXT records) for template authenticity. The asynchronous flow uses OAuth for more complex authorization scenarios. Service Providers publish declarative templates — stored in a public GitHub repository with JSON Schema validation — that specify required DNS record types, values, and variable placeholders. DNS Providers discover Service Providers via _domainconnect TXT records and a discovery API. The ecosystem includes the formal specification, a Python SDK (domainconnect_python), a DNS Provider library (DomainConnectApplyZone), a reference example service, signature tools, a Plesk extension, and a Dynamic DNS Windows Service that uses the OAuth flow. The latest specification, v2.3, shipped in February 2025 and expanded DNS Resource Record support and added variable support in numerical fields.

Domain Connect is not a commercial entity. It has no revenue model, no pricing, no parent company, no funding rounds, and no headcount beyond a 1-10 person community. Marketing and community coordination occur through GitHub, a Slack workspace, a public statistics dashboard, and industry events such as ICANN, CloudFest, and SIDN presentations. Adoption is driven by DNS Providers (IONOS, Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Plesk, Vercel, WordPress.com, NameSilo, Domain Chief, Glauca Digital) and 70+ Service Providers (Google Workspace, Microsoft, Shopify, Squarespace, Canva, Framer, Elementor, HubSpot, iCloud, WP Engine) implementing the protocol into their platforms.

Name

Domain Connect

Legal name

Domain Connect

Website

https://domainconnect.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Domain Connect is an open, MIT-licensed protocol standard that lets Service Providers configure DNS settings at DNS Providers without user-facing DNS complexity. It is community-maintained, IETF-proposed, and integrates 9+ DNS Providers and 70+ Service Providers including Google, Microsoft, Shopify, and Cloudflare.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Open DNS Configuration Protocol

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)

akta.pro primary industry

IP Address Management (IPAM) & DNS/DHCP Management (DDI) (HDAFAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cloud Networking Core Services (VPC/VNet, Load Balancing, DNS, NAT) (HDABAAAJ)

Keywords

• DNS configuration protocol
• DNS automation standard
• Domain setup protocol
• Open DNS standard
• DNS provider integration

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Domain Connect provides an open, MIT-licensed protocol that allows any Service Provider (e.g., email, hosting, website builders) to configure DNS records on behalf of users at any participating DNS Provider (e.g., GoDaddy, Cloudflare, IONOS), without requiring users to understand DNS. The protocol supports both synchronous flows and asynchronous OAuth-based flows, with optional RSA digital signatures, and includes a public template repository, developer SDKs (Python), an example service, and supporting libraries for DNS Providers.

Product overview

Domain Connect is an open protocol standard (MIT license) maintained by a community of developers across multiple companies, submitted to IETF for standardization. The core offering is the Domain Connect Protocol itself, which enables Service Providers to configure DNS settings at DNS Providers on behalf of users without requiring DNS expertise. The ecosystem includes developer resources: the Python SDK (domainconnect_python), the DomainConnectApplyZone library for DNS Providers, an example Service Provider application demonstrating both synchronous and asynchronous (OAuth) flows, signature verification tools, a Dynamic DNS Windows Service, and a Plesk extension. Templates are published in a public GitHub repository with a JSON Schema for validation. The specification defines how DNS Providers and Service Providers discover each other, gain user consent, and apply DNS record changes through standardized templates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Domain Connect Protocol An open, MIT-licensed protocol that enables Service Providers to configure DNS settings on behalf of users at any participating DNS Provider, supporting both synchronous and asynchronous (OAuth) flows with optional RSA digital signatures. Targeted at DNS Providers and Service Providers integrating domain connection flows.
• Example Service Application (exampleservice.domainconnect.org) A reference Python Bottle web application that demonstrates how Service Providers implement Domain Connect, including Simple Flow, Synchronous Flow, Asynchronous Flow, and Signature Tools. Intended for developers implementing the protocol.
• domainconnect_python SDK A Python library that enables Service Providers to implement the Domain Connect protocol (synchronous and OAuth-based asynchronous flows) in their applications. Targeted at Python developers integrating domain connection features.
• DomainConnectApplyZone Library An open-source library for DNS Providers that handles applying Domain Connect templates to zone files, including RSA signature verification, variable processing, conflict detection, and record manipulation. Targeted at DNS infrastructure engineers.
• ext-domain-connect Plesk Extension A Plesk extension that allows the Plesk platform to act as a DNS Provider implementing the Domain Connect protocol, exposing discovery endpoints and applying templates to hosted zones. Targeted at Plesk administrators and web-hosting providers using Plesk.
• Dynamic DNS Windows Service A Windows service that uses the Domain Connect asynchronous OAuth protocol to keep a DNS A record synchronized with a dynamic IP address on a home network, working with any DNS Provider supporting the OAuth protocol. Targeted at home-network and small-business users needing dynamic DNS.
• Domain Connect Signature Tools Web-based utilities for Service Providers to generate and verify digital signatures for Domain Connect synchronous protocol requests, including RSA 2048-bit key pair generation via OpenSSL, signature generation/verification, and DNS TXT record publishing for public keys. Targeted at Service Provider developers implementing signature verification.
• Domain Connect Specification The formal technical specification for the Domain Connect protocol, version 2.3, defining how DNS Providers and Service Providers discover each other, gain user consent, and apply DNS record changes through standardized templates. Submitted to IETF as a Proposed Standard Internet Draft (draft-kowalik-domainconnect) with a DCONN Working Group finalizing standardization. Targeted at implementers of the protocol.
• Domain Connect Templates (Public Template Repository) A public GitHub repository of JSON templates that Service Providers publish to define the DNS record configurations required to connect a service to a domain. Templates are validated against an accompanying JSON Schema and are reviewed by the Domain Connect community. Targeted at Service Providers integrating with Domain Connect.

Quantifiable outcome

• Eliminates need for custom integrations between each Service Provider and DNS Provider relationship
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IONOScoreTechnology or IntegrationDNS Provider supporting Domain Connect. Service Providers interested in working with IONOS can contact [email protected]. One of the first major DNS providers to implement the Domain Connect protocol.
• CloudflarecoreTechnology or IntegrationDNS Provider supporting Domain Connect. Service Providers can contact [email protected] or refer to Cloudflare's developer documentation at developers.cloudflare.com/dns/reference/domain-connect/.
• GoDaddycoreTechnology or IntegrationMajor DNS Provider and founding supporter of Domain Connect. Contact: [email protected]. GoDaddy representatives actively participate in the Domain Connect community and specification development.
• PleskcoreTechnology or IntegrationDNS Provider (when Plesk runs DNS for a domain) and has built an extension for Domain Connect support. Code available at github.com/plesk/ext-domain-connect. Contact: [email protected].
• VercelcoreTechnology or IntegrationDNS Provider supporting Domain Connect. Service Providers can contact [email protected] or refer to Vercel documentation at vercel.com/docs/domains/domain-connect.
• WordPress.comcoreTechnology or IntegrationDNS Provider (part of Automattic) supporting Domain Connect. Contact: [email protected].
• NameSilocoreTechnology or IntegrationDNS Provider supporting Domain Connect. Contact: [email protected].
• Google WorkspacecoreTechnology or IntegrationService Provider with Domain Connect template for Google Workspace configuration. DNS Providers interested in working with Google can complete a form or contact [email protected]. Google also added Domain Connect support for DNS-based domain ownership verification.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationService Provider with templates for Microsoft O365, Outlook Personalized Email, and Bing Domain Proof of Ownership. Contact: [email protected]. Microsoft Bing also added Domain Connect support for DNS-based verification.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationService Provider with Domain Connect template for Shopify website configuration. Contact: [email protected].
• SquarespacecoreTechnology or IntegrationService Provider with Domain Connect template for Squarespace website configuration. Contact: [email protected].
• CanvacoreTechnology or IntegrationService Provider with Domain Connect template for Canva website configuration. Contact: [email protected].
• FramercoreTechnology or IntegrationService Provider with Domain Connect templates for Framer domain and subdomain configuration. Contact: [email protected].
• ElementorcoreTechnology or IntegrationService Provider with multiple Domain Connect templates for Elementor website, email, CNAME, and A record configurations. Contact: [email protected].
• HubSpotcoreTechnology or IntegrationService Provider with multiple Domain Connect templates for HubSpot CNAME, TXT, and site configurations. Contact: [email protected].
• WP EnginecoreTechnology or IntegrationService Provider with Domain Connect templates for WP Engine A record and CNAME configurations. Contact: [email protected].
• iCloudcoreTechnology or IntegrationService Provider (Apple) with Domain Connect support for iCloud custom domain configuration. Contact: [email protected].
• Domain Name Association (DNA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association that helped Domain Connect at ICANN Barcelona to raise awareness about the protocol and its benefits to the industry.
• SIDNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegistry manager for .nl ccTLD. SIDN received a Domain Connect presentation and demonstration, resulting in positive coverage in SIDN's publication about the standard.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DNSimple: DNSimple provides DNS hosting with a strong focus on automation APIs for Service Providers and developers to programmatically configure DNS records. It is comparable to Domain Connect as a DNS configuration automation platform targeting the same Service-Provider-to-DNS-Provider workflow, though it is a commercial product rather than an open standard.
• No-IP: No-IP offers Dynamic DNS and domain management services, including APIs for Service Providers to update DNS records on behalf of users. It addresses the same fundamental problem Domain Connect solves (automated DNS configuration between Service Providers and DNS hosts), though as a commercial dynamic DNS provider rather than an open protocol.
• DNS-O-Matic: DNS-O-Matic is a service that aggregates dynamic DNS updates across multiple DNS providers via a single API. It is comparable to Domain Connect as a DNS configuration interoperability layer between Service Providers and DNS Providers, though narrower in scope (focused on dynamic IP updates).

Others

• PowerDNS: PowerDNS is an open-source DNS server platform that Domain Connect's DomainConnectApplyZone library has been prototyped on top of. It is comparable as an open-source DNS infrastructure ecosystem player that supports the Domain Connect protocol on the DNS Provider side.
• Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN): ICANN is the multi-stakeholder organization that coordinates the DNS namespace and at which Domain Connect has presented (ICANN Barcelona, 2018). It is comparable as an open, community-driven internet infrastructure governance body, though at a much larger systemic scale than Domain Connect itself.

Broad incumbents

• Cloudflare DNS: Cloudflare operates one of the largest authoritative DNS services and is itself a Domain Connect DNS Provider. It is comparable as a broad incumbent in DNS hosting and configuration, offering extensive APIs and template-style record management that overlaps with the workflow Domain Connect standardizes.
• GoDaddy DNS: GoDaddy is both a Domain Connect DNS Provider and one of the largest commercial DNS hosts in the world. It is comparable as a broad incumbent whose DNS infrastructure and Service Provider onboarding flows intersect directly with the Domain Connect standard.
• NS1: NS1 (now part of IBM / Akamai assets) is an enterprise managed DNS provider with a strong automation and traffic-routing API surface. It is comparable as a broad incumbent in the DNS configuration and automation space, addressing some of the same Service-Provider-style integration needs but as a paid platform serving large enterprises.
• Constellix (by DNSFilter): Constellix is an enterprise managed DNS and traffic-management platform with a strong API and templating focus for Service Provider integrations. It is comparable as a broad incumbent offering programmable DNS configuration capabilities that compete for the same Service-Provider-to-DNS workflow.

Emerging players

• deSEC: deSEC is an open-source, non-profit authoritative DNS hosting service with an API-first approach. It is comparable to Domain Connect as an emerging player in the open, interoperable DNS configuration space, though it is a hosted service rather than a cross-provider protocol.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/Domain-Connect

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Domain Connect