Getting Started with Domain Collective

Welcome! This guide will help you get started with Domain Collective and have your first domains synced in just a few minutes.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

1. An account with at least one supported registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Gandi, Porkbun, or Name.com)
2. API access enabled for your registrar account
3. A web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)

Step 1: Create Your Account

Domain Collective offers two ways to sign up:

Option A: Email Magic Link

1. Navigate to collective.domains
2. Click "Get Started" or "Sign In"
3. Enter your email address
4. Check your email for the magic link
5. Click the link to complete sign-in

Option B: Google OAuth

1. Navigate to collective.domains
2. Click "Continue with Google"
3. Select your Google account
4. Authorize Domain Collective

Step 2: Complete Onboarding (Optional)

After your first login, you'll see an onboarding flow that helps us understand your needs:

• Domain Portfolio Size - How many domains you manage
• Primary Use Case - Personal, business, or investment
• Registrar Preference - Which registrars you use

You can skip this step and proceed directly to the dashboard if preferred.

Step 3: Add Your First Registrar

This is where the magic happens! Navigate to the integrations page:

1. Click "Integrations" in the sidebar
2. Click "Add New Integration"
3. Select your registrar from the available options

Required Credentials by Registrar

Step 4: Wait for Synchronization

After adding your credentials:

1. Domain Collective will automatically start syncing your domains
2. You'll see a "Syncing..." status on the integration card
3. This usually takes 30 seconds to 2 minutes depending on domain count
4. Once complete, all your domains will appear in the dashboard

Step 5: Explore Your Dashboard

Once your domains are synced, you can:

• View all domains in a unified table or card view
• Check expiry dates with visual status indicators
• Monitor domain health with color-coded badges
• Access DNS records for each domain
• Update nameservers with preset or custom values
• Track domain distribution across registrars

Understanding the Interface

Dashboard Overview

The main dashboard provides:

• Welcome message with personalized greeting
• Statistics cards showing total domains, expiring soon, etc.
• Domain distribution chart by registrar
• Recent activity feed of your actions
• Quick action buttons for common tasks

Domain List View

Your domains can be viewed as:

• Table view (desktop) - Sortable columns with all details
• Card view (mobile) - Touch-friendly cards with key information

Domain Details

Click any domain to see:

• Complete domain information
• DNS records (A, CNAME, MX, TXT, etc.)
• Current nameservers
• Registration and expiry dates
• Auto-renewal and privacy status

Common Tasks

Manual Sync

If you've made changes at your registrar:

1. Go to Integrations page
2. Find the relevant integration card
3. Click "Sync Now"
4. Wait for sync to complete

Update Expired Credentials

If your API token expires:

1. Click "Update Credentials" on the integration card
2. Enter new credentials
3. Click "Update" to save

Filter and Search Domains

• Use the search bar to find specific domains
• Filter by registrar using the dropdown
• Sort columns by clicking headers

Troubleshooting

Sync Failed

• Check your API credentials are correct
• Ensure your IP is whitelisted (Namecheap)
• Verify API access is enabled at registrar

Missing Domains

• Ensure domains are active (not expired/transferred)
• Check registrar API includes all domains
• Try manual sync

Authentication Errors

• Update credentials using the integration card
• Generate new API tokens if needed
• Check token expiry dates (especially Gandi)

Next Steps

Now that you're set up, explore these features:

• Managing DNS Records →
• Updating Nameservers →
• Understanding Sync →
• Bulk Operations →

Need Help?

If you run into any issues:

• Check our integration guides for registrar-specific help
• Contact support at support@collective.domains
• Visit our status page for system updates

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Welcome to Domain Collective! We're excited to help you manage your domains more efficiently.