Get a Free .dev Domain for Your Portfolio: The Complete is-a-dev/register Guide

Want a professional .dev domain for your portfolio but don’t want to pay $12+ per year? There’s a free, community-driven solution that’s already trusted by thousands of developers: is-a-dev.

This guide walks you through claiming your free .is-a.dev subdomain in under 5 minutes. No credit card, no hidden fees, no maintenance costs.

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Why You Need a Custom Domain for Your Developer Portfolio

Before jumping into the how-to, let’s talk about the why.

Generic URLs like github.com/yourname or yourname.github.io work, but a custom domain projects professionalism:

Domain Type	Perception	SEO	Credibility
github.io	Technical, but plain	Limited	Medium
free .is-a.dev	Professional + shows dev savvy	Good	High
Paid .dev domain	Enterprise-level	Excellent	Excellent

The real talk: Hiring managers spend 30 seconds on your portfolio. A custom domain signals you care about first impressions.

Plus, is-a-dev is backed by Cloudflare’s Project Alexandria—a sponsorship program supporting open-source projects. Your domain is powered by enterprise-grade infrastructure at zero cost.

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What is is-a-dev (And Why It’s Actually Free)

is-a-dev is an open-source service that distributes free .is-a.dev subdomains to developers. That means you get:

✅ Your custom domain (e.g., yourname.is-a.dev or portfolio.is-a.dev)
✅ Full DNS control for pointing to your website
✅ HTTPS support out of the box
✅ GitHub Pages compatible for friction-free hosting
✅ Active community with 5,000+ contributors and 9,500+ stars

The project is completely free because:

1. It’s open-source and community-maintained
2. Cloudflare sponsors the DNS infrastructure
3. No ads, no data-harvesting, no startup greed

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How to Register Your .is-a.dev Subdomain (Step-by-Step)

Prerequisites

• GitHub account (free)
• A website or GitHub Pages project to point your domain at
• 5 minutes

Step 1: Check Your Subdomain Availability

Head to is-a.dev and use their subdomain checker to verify your desired name is available.

Tips for choosing:

• Keep it memorable (your name or a cool project name)
• Avoid reserved keywords (the repo has a block list)
• Examples: john.is-a.dev, myportfolio.is-a.dev, project.is-a.dev

Step 2: Fork the Repository

Go to github.com/is-a-dev/register and fork the repository.

1. Click the "Fork" button (top-right)
2. This creates your own copy of the project

Step 3: Create Your Domain Configuration File

In your forked repo, navigate to the /domains folder and create a new file:

File name: yourname.json
Location: /domains/yourname.json

Example configuration for GitHub Pages:

{
  "owner": {
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "username": "yourgithubusername"
  },
  "repo": "github.io",
  "nameserver": "dns.github.com"
}

Example configuration for custom hosting (Cloudflare, Vercel, etc.):

{
  "owner": {
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "username": "yourgithubusername"
  },
  "record": {
    "type": "CNAME",
    "value": "yourdomain.com"
  }
}

Step 4: Submit a Pull Request

1. Commit your changes: git add domains/yourname.json
2. Write a clear commit message
3. Push to your fork
4. Create a pull request to the main repository
5. Fill in the PR template with your information

Step 5: Wait for Approval & Go Live

The maintainers review PRs regularly. Within hours to a few days:

• Your PR gets reviewed
• If everything checks out, it’s merged
• Your DNS records propagate (usually within 5-15 minutes)
• Your site is live at yourname.is-a.dev

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⚡ Automate It with AI (2-Minute Version)

Don’t want to do this manually? Copy the prompt below and paste it into Claude, ChatGPT, or any AI agent. It will guide you through the entire process and generate your JSON file.

Copy This Prompt

I want to register a free .is-a.dev subdomain for my developer portfolio. 
Help me through the process:

My details:
- GitHub username: [YOUR_GITHUB_USERNAME]
- Email: [YOUR_EMAIL]
- Desired subdomain: [YOUR_SUBDOMAIN] (e.g., john, portfolio, myblog)
- Hosting type: GitHub Pages

Please help me:
1. Check if the subdomain is available (suggest alternatives if taken)
2. Generate the exact JSON configuration file I need to create
3. Walk me through forking the repository
4. Create the domain file content I should use
5. Explain what to write in my pull request
6. Tell me what to expect after submission

Make it super simple and copy-paste ready.

How to Use It

Option 1: Use Claude (Recommended)

1. Go to claude.ai
2. Paste the prompt above (fill in your details)
3. Claude will generate your exact JSON file
4. Claude will guide you through each step
5. Copy the JSON directly from Claude into your GitHub file

Option 2: Use ChatGPT

1. Go to chat.openai.com
2. Paste the prompt (fill in your details)
3. Follow the step-by-step instructions GPT provides
4. Copy the JSON configuration it generates

Option 3: Use Any AI Assistant The prompt works with Gemini, Copilot, or any LLM. The AI will:

• Generate your exact configuration file
• Tell you exactly what to write in your PR
• Handle all the formatting details
• Say when DNS propagation completes

What the AI Will Do For You

✅ Generate your valid JSON configuration
✅ Suggest alternative subdomains if yours is taken
✅ Write the pull request description
✅ Explain GitHub forking (if you’re new)
✅ Tell you what to expect next
✅ Provide DNS propagation timeline

Time saved: ~20 minutes → ~2 minutes

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Real-World Use Cases

Portfolio Site

Host your resume, projects, and blog at yourportfolio.is-a.dev. Companies searching for you will find a professional online presence.

Project Showcase

Running a side project? Get projectname.is-a.dev as a memorable URL for documentation and demos.

Blog

Quick blog launch? Point blog.is-a.dev to a GitHub Pages or static site. No hosting costs, no infrastructure headaches.

API Documentation

Build developer tools? Host docs at docs.yourname.is-a.dev with custom branding.

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Important Things to Know

✅ Allowed Uses

• Personal portfolios and dev blogs
• GitHub Pages hosting
• Static site hosting (Vercel, Netlify, etc.)
• Personal projects and documentation

❌ Prohibited Uses

• Commercial/business websites (see Terms of Service)
• Political campaigns
• Abusive or policy-breaking content
• Redirects to external unrelated sites

🔒 Reliability & Uptime

• Powered by Cloudflare (99.9%+ uptime SLA)
• Active community maintenance
• No forced ads or degradation
• Free forever (or until you decide otherwise)

What if the service shuts down? The project is sustainable and community-backed, but if you’re paranoid, keep a paid backup domain. (Though this seems unlikely given Cloudflare’s support.)

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

”My Domain Still Shows 404”

Fix: DNS propagation takes 5-15 minutes. Clear your browser cache or wait 10 minutes and try again.

”My PR Was Rejected”

Reason: Check the error message. Common issues:

• Formatting errors in JSON (validate with a JSON tool)
• Subdomain already taken
• Using reserved keywords
• Email/username mismatch with your GitHub account

Fix: Read the feedback, correct your domains/yourname.json file, and push the changes to your PR. It auto-updates.

”Wrong DNS Records”

Fix: The service uses DNSSEC validation. Verify:

1. Your JSON syntax is exactly correct
2. Your target domain accepts the record type (CNAME vs A record)
3. Cloudflare is actually processing the DNS (check DNS propagation tools)

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SEO & Marketing Benefits

While is-a-dev won’t magically rank your site, it unlocks real advantages:

Search Rankings:

• .dev domains get slight SEO boost (premium gTLD)
• Custom domain > generic subdomain for SERP credibility
• Easier to optimize for branded searches

Personal Branding:

• Memorable URL = higher CTR from job searches
• Shareable for social media bios
• Professional signal to recruiters

Network Effects:

• Join 5,000+ developer community
• Potentially get featured in open-source showcases
• Build portfolio in visible ecosystem

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Comparison: is-a-dev vs Other Options

Option	Cost	Setup	Maintenance	Custom Domain	Recommendation
is-a-dev	Free forever	5 mins	None	.is-a.dev	⭐ Best for devs with GitHub Pages
GitHub Pages (default)	Free	5 mins	None	.github.io	Good, but less memorable
Paid .dev domain	$12-15/year	5 mins	Annual renewal	Yours	Best if you need ultimate control
Vercel/Netlify domains	Free/Paid	10-20 mins	Domain renewal	Yours	Overkill for portfolio
Shared hosting + domain	$2-10/month	30 mins	Monthly billing + upkeep	Yours	Pain. Just use GitHub Pages.

Bottom line: If you’re hosting on GitHub Pages or a static site, is-a-dev is literally the best choice.

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Key Takeaways

1. Get a free .is-a.dev domain in 5 minutes with no credit card
2. Perfect for portfolios that need a memorable, professional URL
3. Backed by Cloudflare for enterprise-grade reliability
4. Community-driven with 5,000+ contributors ensuring long-term viability
5. Works seamlessly with GitHub Pages, Vercel, Netlify, and more

Next steps:

1. Visit is-a.dev and check availability
2. Fork github.com/is-a-dev/register
3. Create your domain file and open a PR
4. Wait for approval (usually same day)
5. Update your portfolio link everywhere

Your future employer will appreciate the attention to detail. Plus, you can always upgrade to a paid domain later if your project takes off.

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Resources

• Official Site: is-a.dev
• GitHub Repo: is-a-dev/register
• Documentation: docs.is-a.dev
• Discord Community: Join the Discord
• Blog Post Reference: William Harrison’s walkthrough

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