Give your AI Studio deployed app a custom URL

Source: Dev.to

Introduction

You’ve just built an AI application using Google’s AI Studio and deployed it. The default URL looks something like:

https://burning-man-animal-cuddle-614365371127.us-west1.run.app/

While the autogenerated name is fun, you probably want a clean custom domain (e.g., vibe-compose.com) that you bought on Namecheap. Below is a step‑by‑step guide to connect your Cloud Run service to a third‑party registrar.

Step 1 – Add the Mapping in Cloud Run

1. Open the Google Cloud Console and go to Cloud Run → Domains.

2. Select your project (e.g., Generative Language Client).

3. Click Add Mapping in the Domain Mappings section.

   

4. In the dialog:

   • Select service: choose your deployed app.
   • Select a verified domain: click Verify a new domain…
   • Base domain: enter your root domain (e.g., vibe-compose.com). Do not add www yet.

Step 2 – Verify Domain Ownership

Google will ask you to add a TXT record to prove you own the domain.

1. Click Verify; a modal shows the required TXT record.

   
   

2. Log into Namecheap, go to Domain List → Manage → Advanced DNS, and add a new TXT Record:

   • Host: @
   • Value: (paste the verification string)
   • TTL: Automatic

   

3. Wait a couple of minutes, then return to the Cloud Console and click VERIFY.

Step 3 – Map the “Naked” (Root) Domain

After verification, Cloud Run will provide a list of IP addresses for the root domain.

1. In Namecheap Advanced DNS, add the following records (replace the example IPs with those shown in Cloud Run):

   • A Records (4 entries):

     • Host: @
     • Value: xxx.xxx.xxx.32.21, xxx.xxx.xxx.34.21, xxx.xxx.xxx.36.21, xxx.xxx.xxx.38.21

   • AAAA Records (4 entries):

     • Host: @
     • Value: (the IPv6 addresses provided by Cloud Run)

   

Step 4 – Add the www Subdomain

To make www.vibe-compose.com work:

1. Return to Cloud Run Domain Mappings and click Add Mapping again.

2. Enter www.vibe-compose.com. Cloud Run will ask for a CNAME record.

3. In Namecheap, add a CNAME Record:

   • Host: www
   • Value: ghs.googlehosted.com. (include the trailing dot)
   • TTL: Automatic

   ⚠️ Do not put ghs.googlehosted.com in the Host field; the Host must be www.

Step 5 – Wait for Propagation

Back in the Cloud Run dashboard you’ll see the domains with a spinner (pending) that eventually turns into a green checkmark.

• DNS Propagation: Can take from a few minutes up to 24 hours.
• Certificate Provisioning: Google automatically creates a managed SSL certificate once the DNS records are visible.

Conclusion

Mapping a custom domain adds a professional polish to your AI Studio projects. After the steps above, your app will be reachable at https://vibe-compose.com (and https://www.vibe-compose.com) instead of the autogenerated Cloud Run URL.

Happy coding! 🚀