DNSHE Free Domains & Anycast DNS

Skill by ara.so — Daily 2026 Skills collection.

DNSHE (dnshe.com) provides free subdomains under us.ci, cc.cd, de5.net, and ccwu.cc backed by enterprise Anycast DNS. It supports A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SRV, and CAA records, a 180-day renewal window, and a REST API for full automation — no credit card required.

---

Getting Started

1. Register an Account

Go to dnshe.com and sign up. No credit card needed.

2. Claim a Subdomain

Search for your desired prefix (e.g., myproject) and pair it with a suffix:

Suffix	Use Case
*.us.ci	CI/CD pipelines, API endpoints, SaaS
*.cc.cd	Portfolios, creative projects
*.de5.net	Tech blogs, dev environments, docs
*.ccwu.cc	Personal pages, community projects

3. Add DNS Records

From the dashboard, add your records (A, CNAME, TXT, etc.). Propagation happens in seconds via Anycast.

---

REST API Reference

All API interactions require an API token obtained from the DNSHE dashboard under account settings.

Authentication

All requests use a Bearer token in the Authorization header:

Authorization: Bearer $DNSHE_API_TOKEN

Store your token as an environment variable:

export DNSHE_API_TOKEN="your_token_here"
export DNSHE_BASE_URL="https://www.dnshe.com/api/v1"

---

Key API Operations

List Your Domains

curl -s -X GET "$DNSHE_BASE_URL/domains" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DNSHE_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"

Register a Subdomain

curl -s -X POST "$DNSHE_BASE_URL/domains" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DNSHE_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "subdomain": "myproject",
    "suffix": "us.ci"
  }'

Add a DNS Record

curl -s -X POST "$DNSHE_BASE_URL/domains/myproject.us.ci/records" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DNSHE_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "A",
    "name": "@",
    "value": "203.0.113.42",
    "ttl": 300
  }'

Update a DNS Record

curl -s -X PUT "$DNSHE_BASE_URL/domains/myproject.us.ci/records/{record_id}" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DNSHE_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "A",
    "name": "@",
    "value": "203.0.113.99",
    "ttl": 300
  }'

Delete a DNS Record

curl -s -X DELETE "$DNSHE_BASE_URL/domains/myproject.us.ci/records/{record_id}" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DNSHE_API_TOKEN"

Renew a Domain

curl -s -X POST "$DNSHE_BASE_URL/domains/myproject.us.ci/renew" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DNSHE_API_TOKEN"

---

Code Examples

Python: Full Domain Setup Script

import os
import requests

API_TOKEN = os.environ["DNSHE_API_TOKEN"]
BASE_URL = "https://www.dnshe.com/api/v1"

HEADERS = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {API_TOKEN}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
}

def register_subdomain(subdomain: str, suffix: str) -> dict:
    resp = requests.post(
        f"{BASE_URL}/domains",
        headers=HEADERS,
        json={"subdomain": subdomain, "suffix": suffix},
    )
    resp.raise_for_status()
    return resp.json()

def add_record(domain: str, record_type: str, name: str, value: str, ttl: int = 300) -> dict:
    resp = requests.post(
        f"{BASE_URL}/domains/{domain}/records",
        headers=HEADERS,
        json={"type": record_type, "name": name, "value": value, "ttl": ttl},
    )
    resp.raise_for_status()
    return resp.json()

def renew_domain(domain: str) -> dict:
    resp = requests.post(
        f"{BASE_URL}/domains/{domain}/renew",
        headers=HEADERS,
    )
    resp.raise_for_status()
    return resp.json()

def list_domains() -> list:
    resp = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/domains", headers=HEADERS)
    resp.raise_for_status()
    return resp.json()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    # Register subdomain
    result = register_subdomain("myproject", "us.ci")
    print("Registered:", result)

    # Point it to a server
    record = add_record("myproject.us.ci", "A", "@", "203.0.113.42")
    print("Record added:", record)

    # Add a www CNAME
    cname = add_record("myproject.us.ci", "CNAME", "www", "myproject.us.ci")
    print("CNAME added:", cname)

Python: Automated Renewal Script (Cron-friendly)

import os
import requests
from datetime import datetime, timedelta

API_TOKEN = os.environ["DNSHE_API_TOKEN"]
BASE_URL = "https://www.dnshe.com/api/v1"
HEADERS = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {API_TOKEN}"}

def renew_expiring_domains(days_threshold: int = 30):
    """Renew any domain expiring within `days_threshold` days."""
    resp = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/domains", headers=HEADERS)
    resp.raise_for_status()
    domains = resp.json()

    now = datetime.utcnow()
    threshold = now + timedelta(days=days_threshold)

    for domain in domains:
        # Adjust field name to match actual API response
        expires_at = datetime.fromisoformat(domain.get("expires_at", "").replace("Z", ""))
        if expires_at <= threshold:
            name = domain["domain"]
            renew_resp = requests.post(f"{BASE_URL}/domains/{name}/renew", headers=HEADERS)
            if renew_resp.ok:
                print(f"✅ Renewed: {name}")
            else:
                print(f"❌ Failed to renew {name}: {renew_resp.text}")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    renew_expiring_domains(days_threshold=30)

JavaScript/Node.js: Domain Management Client

const fetch = require('node-fetch'); // or use built-in fetch in Node 18+

const API_TOKEN = process.env.DNSHE_API_TOKEN;
const BASE_URL = 'https://www.dnshe.com/api/v1';

const headers = {
  'Authorization': `Bearer ${API_TOKEN}`,
  'Content-Type': 'application/json',
};

async function registerSubdomain(subdomain, suffix) {
  const res = await fetch(`${BASE_URL}/domains`, {
    method: 'POST',
    headers,
    body: JSON.stringify({ subdomain, suffix }),
  });
  if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Register failed: ${await res.text()}`);
  return res.json();
}

async function addRecord(domain, type, name, value, ttl = 300) {
  const res = await fetch(`${BASE_URL}/domains/${domain}/records`, {
    method: 'POST',
    headers,
    body: JSON.stringify({ type, name, value, ttl }),
  });
  if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Add record failed: ${await res.text()}`);
  return res.json();
}

async function listDomains() {
  const res = await fetch(`${BASE_URL}/domains`, { headers });
  if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`List failed: ${await res.text()}`);
  return res.json();
}

async function renewDomain(domain) {
  const res = await fetch(`${BASE_URL}/domains/${domain}/renew`, {
    method: 'POST',
    headers,
  });
  if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Renew failed: ${await res.text()}`);
  return res.json();
}

// Example usage
(async () => {
  const domain = await registerSubdomain('myapp', 'cc.cd');
  console.log('Registered:', domain);

  const record = await addRecord('myapp.cc.cd', 'A', '@', '203.0.113.42');
  console.log('A record added:', record);

  // Add TXT for domain verification / Let's Encrypt
  const txt = await addRecord('myapp.cc.cd', 'TXT', '_acme-challenge', 'your-challenge-value');
  console.log('TXT record added:', txt);
})();

GitHub Actions: Auto-Renewal Workflow

# .github/workflows/dnshe-renew.yml
name: DNSHE Domain Auto-Renewal

on:
  schedule:
    - cron: '0 9 * * 1'  # Every Monday at 9am UTC
  workflow_dispatch:

jobs:
  renew:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Set up Python
        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
        with:
          python-version: '3.12'

      - name: Install dependencies
        run: pip install requests

      - name: Run renewal script
        env:
          DNSHE_API_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.DNSHE_API_TOKEN }}
        run: python scripts/renew_domains.py

Bash: Quick Record Update (Dynamic DNS)

#!/bin/bash
# update-dns.sh — Update A record to current public IP

DOMAIN="${DNSHE_DOMAIN:-myproject.us.ci}"
RECORD_ID="${DNSHE_RECORD_ID}"  # Get from dashboard or API list
PUBLIC_IP=$(curl -s https://api.ipify.org)

echo "Updating $DOMAIN to $PUBLIC_IP"

curl -s -X PUT "https://www.dnshe.com/api/v1/domains/${DOMAIN}/records/${RECORD_ID}" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DNSHE_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d "{\"type\": \"A\", \"name\": \"@\", \"value\": \"${PUBLIC_IP}\", \"ttl\": 60}"

---

Common Record Patterns

Static Website (A record)

{ "type": "A", "name": "@", "value": "YOUR_SERVER_IP", "ttl": 300 }

Subdomain Alias (CNAME)

{ "type": "CNAME", "name": "www", "value": "myproject.us.ci", "ttl": 300 }

Email (MX record)

{ "type": "MX", "name": "@", "value": "mail.example.com", "ttl": 300, "priority": 10 }

SSL Verification (TXT for Let's Encrypt DNS-01)

{ "type": "TXT", "name": "_acme-challenge", "value": "ACME_CHALLENGE_TOKEN", "ttl": 60 }

IPv6 (AAAA record)

{ "type": "AAAA", "name": "@", "value": "2001:db8::1", "ttl": 300 }

Service Discovery (SRV)

{ "type": "SRV", "name": "_http._tcp", "value": "10 20 80 myproject.us.ci", "ttl": 300 }

---

Supported Record Types

Type	Purpose
A	IPv4 address
AAAA	IPv6 address
CNAME	Canonical name alias
MX	Mail exchange
TXT	Text (SPF, DKIM, ACME)
NS	Name server delegation
SRV	Service locator
CAA	Certificate authority authorization

---

Renewal Policy

• Window: 180 days before expiry — renew any time within this window.
• Automation: Use the /renew API endpoint in a weekly cron job to never miss a renewal.
• Best practice: Renew at 60–90 days before expiry to leave buffer time.

---

Troubleshooting

Domain not resolving

• Check propagation: DNS changes typically propagate in seconds globally via Anycast, but ISP caches can take up to 5 minutes.
• Verify your record was saved: call GET /domains/{domain}/records to confirm.
• Use dig myproject.us.ci or nslookup myproject.us.ci to test resolution.

API returning 401

• Ensure DNSHE_API_TOKEN is set correctly.
• Token may be expired — regenerate in the dashboard.

API returning 409 Conflict

• Subdomain is already taken. Try a different prefix.

API returning 429 Too Many Requests

• You've hit rate limits. Add exponential backoff in your automation scripts.

Record update not reflecting

• TTL caching: lower the TTL to 60 before making changes, then raise it again after.

---

Compliance & Abuse

DNSHE has a zero-tolerance policy for illegal use:

• Prohibited: Phishing, fraud, malware, illegal content.
• ToS: dnshe.com/tos.html
• Report Abuse: dnshe.com/domainabuse/
• Security contact: abuse@dnshe.com

---

Support & Links

Resource	URL
Dashboard	dnshe.com
Support Email	support@dnshe.com
ToS	dnshe.com/tos.html
Abuse Reports	dnshe.com/domainabuse/