Skip to main content

​
name.com API (CORE) Overview

The name.com API lets you search, register, and manage domains, DNS records, WHOIS privacy, and more — all through a secure, RESTful interface. CORE is the latest version of our API, built for developers, SaaS platforms, and businesses. For legacy v4 integrations, view the v4 API documentation. For a summary of what’s new in name.com API (CORE), see the Changelog

​
Base URLs

Production

Base URL: https://api.name.com
Purpose: Manage live domains in your production account

Sandbox (Testing)

Base URL: https://api.dev.name.com
Purpose: Test and simulate actions without affecting real domains

​
API Versioning

The name.com API uses path-based versioning (e.g., core/v1/ in the endpoint URLs). Going forward, our API will be following semantic versioning on changes to the API.
  • Current version: name.com API (CORE v1), released June 2025
  • Versioning model: Major version in the URL path (e.g., https://api.name.com/core/v1)
  • Previous versions: v4 is still supported and will sunset at a predetermined time in 2026
For a detailed timeline of updates, breaking changes, deprecations, and upcoming features, see our Changelog.

​
Key Characteristics

Standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
HTTP Basic Auth (username + API token). Sandbox requires a -test username and a sandbox token. See the full Authentication guide for curl -u vs explicit header and Base64 generation on Linux/macOS and Windows PowerShell.
HTTPS only (port 443)
APIs are organized around Domains, DNS Records, Transfers, URL Forwarding, Vanity Nameservers, and Webhook Notifications

​
Environment Details

The name.com API provides two fully separated environments for safe development and live operations:

​
Production Environment

Production Environment

  • Base URL: https://api.name.com
  • Purpose: Manage real domains and billing
  • Credentials: Use your name.com username and production API token

​
Sandbox (Development) Environment

Sandbox Environment

  • Base URL: https://api.dev.name.com
  • Purpose: Safe for testing — no real charges
  • Credentials: Use your username with -test appended (e.g., reseller123-test) and your sandbox API token
  • Features: Preloaded testing credit available, domains and orders do not sync with production
Important: Domains must be created in sandbox before using them. For example, GET /core/v1/domains/example.com will return “Not Found” unless you register it first in the sandbox environment.

​
Response Format

  • API responses are returned in JSON format
  • Fields set to default values (empty strings, false, 0) are omitted to simplify payloads
  • On success (HTTP 200 OK), you receive a structured JSON response
  • On error (HTTP 4xx/5xx), you receive an error JSON such as:
{
  "message": "Permission Denied",
  "details": "Authentication Error - Account Has Two-Step Verification Enabled"
}
Always check both the HTTP status code and the message/details fields to debug responses.

​
API Usage Guidelines

​
Path Parameters

Insert actual values where {} appears in endpoints. Example:
  • GET /core/v1/domains/{domainName}/records
  • GET /core/v1/domains/example.org/records

​
HTTP Methods and Content-Type

Use the correct HTTP verb:
MethodAction
GETRetrieve a resource
POSTCreate a new resource
PUTUpdate an existing resource
DELETEDelete a resource
When sending JSON payloads (POST/PUT), always set the header: Content-Type: application/json

​
Pagination

  • For list endpoints, use the perPage and page query parameters
  • The API provides Link headers for easy pagination: Link: <https://api.name.com/core/v1/domains?page=2>; rel="next"
  • You can use these headers to automate paging through large lists of results

​
Important Note on Colon (:) in Endpoint Paths

For the following endpoints:
  • POST /core/v1/domains:checkAvailability
  • POST /core/v1/domains:search
  • POST /core/v1/domains:searchStream
Do not URL-encode the colon (:) in the request path.Some HTTP clients or SDKs may automatically encode : to %3A (e.g., /v4/domains%3AcheckAvailability), which will cause the request to fail.Always use the literal colon character : in the endpoint URL.

​
Rate Limits

  • 20 requests per second
  • 3,000 requests per hour
If you exceed the rate limit, the server responds with 429 Too Many Requests.
Implement retry and backoff logic in your integration.

​
Common API Errors

Resource not found in environment. Make sure the domain or record exists in the correct environment.
2FA-enabled accounts are not supported. Disable Two-Factor Authentication on your account.
Invalid or malformed input value. Correct the input, such as providing a valid IPv4 address.
Mixing production/sandbox credentials. Double-check that your API URL matches your credentials.
Authentication missing or invalid. Fix your Basic Auth headers and verify no typos in URLs.
Incorrect or revoked API token. Regenerate a new API token and use it for your requests.

​
Next Steps

You’re ready to start building!

Build Your Integration

Explore the latest CORE API Resources

Legacy v4 API

View the v4 API Documentation

​
Accessing the Legacy v4 API

We continue to maintain the v4 API documentation for existing integrations and legacy systems. While the current documentation focuses on the latest CORE API, you can still reference the full v4 guides if your systems depend on them.
  • v4 remains supported for legacy users
  • All new integrations should use CORE v1
  • Only CORE v1+ will receive new features
  • Any v4 deprecation will be announced via the Changelog
All API access requires HTTPS and authentication with your name.com credentials and API token.
⌘I