An interactive simulation of a product used to test concepts, gather feedback, and demonstrate functionality before full development. Prototypes range from low-fidelity wireframes to high-fidelity interactive mockups. In Framer, prototypes become production sites—there's no separate prototype stage to recreate.

The process of making website changes live and accessible on the internet. Publishing deploys your work to production servers where visitors can access it. Framer's instant publishing makes changes live immediately when you click publish.

A digital certificate enabling HTTPS encryption that protects data transmitted between browsers and servers. SSL certificates are now essential for security, user trust, and SEO rankings. Framer provides free SSL certificates automatically for all hosted sites. See Do I need to set up SSL for a custom domain?.

Domain Name System—the internet’s phone book that translates human-readable domain names into numerical IP addresses computers use. DNS propagation can take 24-48 hours when pointing a domain to new hosting, though it often completes much faster. Proper DNS configuration is essential for connecting custom domains to your Framer site.

The human-readable address of a website that users type in browsers, translating to numerical IP addresses behind the scenes. Choose domain names that are memorable, brandable, and relevant to your content. Shorter domains are generally easier to remember and type correctly.

A registrar is the company that manages domain registration, renewals, and DNS control for your domain name. Choose a reliable registrar with clear pricing, DNS tooling, and strong support. Common options include Namecheap, Cloudflare Registrar, and Squarespace Domains. See Is Framer a domain registrar?.

A prefix before the main domain name creating separate sections, like blog.example.com or shop.example.com. Subdomains can isolate different applications while maintaining brand association. Consider whether subdomains or subdirectories better serve your SEO strategy.

Top-Level Domain—the suffix at the end of domain names like .com, .org, .io, or country codes like .uk. Different TLDs carry different connotations and trust levels. Choose TLDs appropriate for your audience and purpose.

A server setup that forwards incoming requests to another origin while keeping your public domain unchanged. Reverse proxies are used for migrations, custom routing, security policies, and integrating Framer with existing infrastructure. See How to self host using a reverse proxy.

A DNS record that maps a hostname to an IPv6 address. It is the IPv6 equivalent of an A record and is used when your domain should resolve directly to an IPv6 endpoint.

System for Cross-domain Identity Management, a standard protocol for automating user provisioning and deprovisioning between identity providers and SaaS products. SCIM helps keep account access in sync with organizational directories.

A Publish Staging URL is a temporary or preview deployment address that allows teams to validate content and design before publishing to production.

Framer custom domains let teams publish production websites on their own domain, keeping collaboration, hosting, and launch workflows in one place.