This guide shows you how to create and manage subdomains through your hosting control panel. You will learn how to set up a subdomain, point it to a specific directory, and manage or remove subdomains as your site evolves.
What is a subdomain?
A subdomain is a prefix added before your main domain name, creating a separate web address that points to its own folder on your hosting account. Common uses include:
blog.yourdomain.com— a blog separate from your main siteshop.yourdomain.com— an e-commerce storestaging.yourdomain.com— a testing/staging environmentapp.yourdomain.com— a web application
Each subdomain can have its own files, installations (e.g., a separate WordPress install), and even its own SSL certificate.
Create a subdomain
Navigate to the HOSTDOG homepage and click the Log in button in the top-right corner. From your client area, go to your hosting service and click Login to Control Panel.
In your control panel, find the Domains section and click Subdomains.
Type the subdomain prefix in the Subdomain field (e.g., blog, shop, staging). Select the parent domain from the dropdown if you have multiple domains on your account. The Document Root field auto-populates with a suggested directory path — you can accept the default or change it to a custom path.
Click Create. The control panel will set up the subdomain, create the document root directory, and add the necessary DNS record. The subdomain is available almost immediately if your domain's nameservers are already set to HOSTDOG.
Manage existing subdomains
The Subdomains page lists all your existing subdomains. From here you can:
- Change the document root — redirect the subdomain to a different directory on your account.
- Set up a redirect — forward the subdomain to another URL (useful for marketing campaigns or temporary redirects).
- Delete a subdomain — remove the subdomain and its DNS record. This does not delete the files in the document root directory; you need to clean those up separately if desired.