Adding Your First Integration

This guide will walk you through adding your first registrar integration to Domain Collective. We'll use GoDaddy as an example, but the process is similar for all registrars.

Before You Begin

Make sure you have:

• ✅ Created your Domain Collective account
• ✅ Obtained API credentials from your registrar (see prerequisites)
• ✅ Your credentials saved in a secure location

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Navigate to Integrations

After logging in to Domain Collective:

1. Click "Integrations" in the left sidebar
2. You'll see the integrations page with your current integrations (empty for new users)
3. Click the "Add New Integration" button

Step 2: Select Your Registrar

You'll see cards for each supported registrar:

Click on the card for your registrar to continue.

Step 3: Enter Your Credentials

The form will display fields specific to your chosen registrar:

GoDaddy Credentials

API Key:     [Your API Key from developer portal]
API Secret:  [Your API Secret - shown only once]
Customer ID: [Your customer/shopper ID]

Namecheap Credentials

Username:    [Your Namecheap username]
API Key:     [Your API Key from account settings]

Gandi Credentials

API Token:   [Your Personal Access Token]

Step 4: Submit and Wait

1. After entering your credentials, click "Add Integration"
2. You'll be redirected to the integrations page
3. Your new integration will show with a "Syncing..." status

Step 5: Monitor Synchronization

The synchronization process happens automatically:

graph LR
    A[Submit Credentials] --> B[Validate API Access]
    B --> C[Fetch Domains]
    C --> D[Process Each Domain]
    D --> E[Fetch DNS Records]
    E --> F[Save to Database]
    F --> G[Update Dashboard]

Timeline:

• Small portfolios (1-10 domains): ~30 seconds
• Medium portfolios (10-50 domains): 1-2 minutes
• Large portfolios (50+ domains): 2-5 minutes

Step 6: View Your Domains

Once synchronization completes:

1. The integration card will show "Synced" status
2. Navigate to "Dashboard" to see your domains
3. All your domains are now available!

What Happens During Sync?

Domain Collective performs several operations:

1. Authentication - Verifies your API credentials
2. Domain Fetching - Retrieves all domains from the registrar
3. Data Normalization - Converts registrar-specific formats to our standard
4. DNS Retrieval - Fetches DNS records for each domain
5. Database Storage - Saves everything securely

Understanding the Integration Card

After adding an integration, you'll see a card with:

Card Features

• Domain Count - Shows total domains from this registrar
• Health Metrics - Expiring and expired domain counts
• Sync Status - Current state (Idle, Syncing, Synced, Failed)
• Last Sync - When domains were last updated
• Actions - Manual sync and credential updates

Manual Synchronization

You can manually trigger a sync anytime:

1. Click "Sync Now" on the integration card
2. Wait for the sync to complete
3. Refresh happens in the background

Troubleshooting Your First Integration

Common Issues and Solutions

"Invalid Credentials" Error

• Double-check your API key and secret
• Remove spaces - ensure no extra spaces when pasting
• Verify environment - ensure you're using production credentials

"No Domains Found"

• Check registrar account - log in directly to verify domains exist
• API permissions - ensure API has access to domains
• Wait and retry - sometimes initial sync needs a retry

"Sync Failed" Status

• Check credentials - may have expired or been revoked
• Network issues - temporary connectivity problems
• Rate limits - registrar API limits exceeded

"Authentication Failed"

• IP not whitelisted (Namecheap) - add your server IP
• Token expired (Gandi) - generate a new PAT
• Wrong customer ID (GoDaddy) - verify your account number

Getting Help

If you encounter issues:

1. Check the error message on the integration card
2. Try updating credentials using the card button
3. Contact support with:
   • Registrar name
   • Error message (screenshot helpful)
   • Approximate time of error

Next Steps

Congratulations! Your domains are now in Domain Collective. Here's what you can do next:

Explore Your Domains

• View all domains in the dashboard
• Check expiry dates and renewal status
• See DNS records for each domain

Add More Registrars

• Repeat this process for other registrars
• Manage all domains from one place
• Compare domains across providers

Learn Advanced Features

• Understanding Domain Sync →
• Managing DNS Records →
• Updating Nameservers →

Best Practices

1. Regular Syncing - Sync weekly to keep data current
2. Monitor Expiry - Check dashboard for expiring domains
3. Secure Credentials - Update tokens before they expire
4. Multiple Integrations - Add all your registrars for complete view

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to explore more features? Continue to Understanding Domain Sync →