Creating and Managing Subdomains
A subdomain is an extension of your primary domain used to organize your website into different sections. For example, if your domain is yourdomain.com, you could create blog.yourdomain.com for articles or store.yourdomain.com for an e-commerce shop.
How to Create a Subdomain in cPanel
- Log in to cPanel: Access your dashboard via the Jiinubi Client Area.
- Locate Domains: Scroll to the Domains section and click the Domains icon (or Subdomains in some cPanel themes).
- Create New: Click the Create A New Domain button.
- Enter Subdomain Name: In the "Domain" text box, type your full desired subdomain (e.g., dev.yourdomain.com).
- Configure Document Root:
- Crucial Step: Uncheck the box that says "Share document root with '[main domain]'".
- This ensures your subdomain has its own folder, keeping its files separate from your main website.
- Submit: Click Submit.
Where Do the Files Go?
cPanel creates a new folder in your home directory (usually named after the subdomain). To upload files to your subdomain, use the File Manager and navigate to that folder instead of public_html. If installing WordPress via Softaculous, select the subdomain from the "Choose Installation URL" dropdown.
Managing and Redirecting Subdomains
- In the Domains list, find your subdomain.
- Click Manage.
- Click Modify Redirection.
- Enter the destination URL and save.
Common Use Cases
| Subdomain | Typical Purpose |
|---|---|
| staging. | A "sandbox" to test new plugins or designs before pushing them live. |
| app. | Hosting a web application or client portal separate from your main site. |
| support. | Dedicated space for documentation, FAQs, or a ticketing system. |
| mail. | Used technically to direct your email traffic to the correct mail server. |
???? Tip: DNS Propagation: Like a main domain, a new subdomain may take 1–24 hours to become fully visible across the internet.
