Custom domains add credibility to a project, but setting up DNS records is often the most tedious part of the process. A developer recently moved a site from an empty repository to a live custom domain with HTTPS in roughly 14 minutes without editing a single DNS entry. The workflow uses GitHub Copilot CLI to manage the tasks, assisted by a community skill for Namecheap that handles the registrar API.
What you’ll need
- A GitHub account. The free tier is sufficient.
- GitHub Copilot CLI installed and authenticated.
- A Namecheap account to purchase the domain and access its API.
Step 1: Publish a site with GitHub Pages
Every deployment requires a destination. The process begins by creating a new public repository.
Once the repository exists, you do not need to manually write an index.html file, commit it, or navigate through the settings menu. Instead, you describe the desired outcome to Copilot CLI. The tool then generates the landing page and activates GitHub Pages for the repository.
The site is now live on a github.io URL. The next step is to assign a proper address.
Step 2: Register an inexpensive domain
Premium domains are not necessary for side projects. The author selected .click, one of the cheapest top-level domains, and checked for availability.
The domain ghpagesblog.click was available. The total cost was USD $2.00, or approximately CAD $2.46.
Step 3: Connect the domain to GitHub Pages
This is typically the most difficult part of the setup. Here, an AI assistant handles the repetitive work while you retain control over the decisions.
Enable Namecheap API access
Before Copilot CLI can update your DNS records, you must enable the Namecheap API. In your Namecheap account, go to Profile → Tools. Scroll to Business & Tools and select Manage under Namecheap API Access.
You can also navigate directly to the API access settings page, noting that the URL may change over time.
On that page, complete three steps:
- Toggle the API to ON.
- Add the public IP of the machine calling the API to the IP allowlist, which Namecheap labels as Whitelisted IPs.
- Copy the API Key and store it securely. You will need it shortly.
Install the Namecheap skill
Next, allow Copilot CLI to communicate with Namecheap by installing the Namecheap skill. It is a single command:
gh skill install github/awesome-copilot namecheap --scope userThe first time you ask Copilot to perform a task, such as listing your Namecheap domains, the tool confirms the skill is configured and prompts for your username.
It then requests the API key you copied earlier.
With credentials in place, Copilot returns the list of domains in your account. This is a quick way to verify the connection before making changes.
Point the domain at GitHub Pages
Now connect the domain to the site. Ask Copilot to configure the custom domain using the skill.
A good automation asks before acting. The skill pauses to confirm the change before touching any records.
Once you approve, it replaces the existing parking records with the GitHub Pages A records and a CNAME for the WWW subdomain. This is the exact configuration GitHub Pages expects. It also handles the repository side by committing a CNAME file that tells GitHub Pages which custom domain the site should answer to.
Step 4: Verify the deployment
Rather than assuming success, Copilot CLI checks its own work. First, it confirms the domain resolves.
