Google Firebase Custom Domain and Subdomain Setup with GoDaddy

Deploying your application to Google Firebase is the first step, but to make it professional, you need to link it to a custom domain. While Firebase provides a default web-app.web.app URL, mapping your own domain—like one purchased from GoDaddy—is essential for branding and SEO.

In this guide, we will walk through the step-by-step process of mapping your GoDaddy domain or subdomain to your Firebase project.

Step 1: Access the Firebase Hosting Panel

Log in to the Firebase Console and select your project.

1. Navigate to the Hosting section from the left-hand sidebar.
2. In the Dashboard, you will see your default Firebase domains. Click the Connect domain button.

Step 2: Enter Your Domain Name

A pop-up will appear. Enter the domain or subdomain you purchased from GoDaddy (e.g., example.com or app.example.com).

• Note: If you want to redirect the apex domain (example.com) to the www version (www.example.com), make sure to check that option if prompted.

Step 3: Verify Domain Ownership

Firebase needs to ensure you own the domain. It will provide you with a TXT record for verification.

1. Copy the entire verification string (e.g., google-site-verification=...).
2. Keep this tab open as you head over to GoDaddy.

Step 4: Configure DNS Settings in GoDaddy

1. Log in to your GoDaddy Control Panel.
2. Find your domain and click Manage DNS.
3. Click Add to create a new record:
   • Type: TXT
   • Name (Host): @ (or your subdomain prefix)
   • Value: Paste the verification string you copied from Firebase.
   • TTL: Default (1 Hour).
4. Save the record.

Step 5: Finalize Verification in Firebase

Go back to the Firebase console and click Verify.

• Note: DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to propagate. If it doesn’t verify immediately, wait a bit and try again.

Step 6: Map A-Records to Firebase IPs

Once verified, Firebase will provide you with two A-Records (IP addresses). You need to add these to GoDaddy to point your domain to the Firebase servers.

1. In the GoDaddy DNS Management page, click Add.
2. Create two separate records:
   • Type: A
   • Name (Host): @
   • Value: Paste the first IP address.
3. Repeat for the second IP address.
4. Delete any existing “A” records that point to “@” if they were parked or pointing elsewhere.

Step 7: Wait for SSL Provisioning

After connecting, Firebase will automatically provision an SSL certificate for your domain.

• Initially, you might see a “Privacy Error” or “Not Secure” warning.
• Don’t panic! It usually takes about 24 hours for the certificate to become active. Once it does, your site will be fully accessible via https://.

Summary Table: GoDaddy Settings