DNS
Address records
The internet's address book. Each record says where a name like www.yoursite.com should go.
Point www to Vercel so your site shows up.
Cloudflare docsLearn
Cloudflare terms, in plain words.
One sentence each, an example, and the official docs if you want more.
A record
Point to a server
Sends a name to a server's number address (its IP).
yoursite.com → 203.0.113.10
Cloudflare docsCNAME record
Point to a service
Sends a name to another name, usually a hosting service.
www → cname.vercel-dns.com
Cloudflare docsMX record
Receive email
Tells other mail servers where to deliver email for your domain.
Google Workspace gives you MX records to add.
Cloudflare docsTXT record
Proof of ownership
A note on your domain that other services read to confirm you own it.
Stripe or Google asks you to add one to verify.
Cloudflare docsNameservers
Who runs your address book
The two names at your domain seller that hand control of your domain to Cloudflare.
Set them at GoDaddy or Namecheap to finish setup.
Cloudflare docsProxied (orange cloud)
Protected by Cloudflare
Visitors reach Cloudflare first, which hides your server, blocks attacks and speeds things up.
Keep websites protected. Turn it off for email-only records.
Cloudflare docsSSL/TLS, https
Secure padlock
Encrypts traffic so nobody in between can read it. Browsers show a padlock.
"Full (strict)" is the safest mode if your server has a certificate.
Cloudflare docsAlways Use HTTPS
Always use the secure address
Sends anyone who types http:// to the secure https:// version.
Stops 'Not secure' warnings in browsers.
Cloudflare docsCache / CDN
Saved copies
Cloudflare keeps copies of your files near visitors so pages load faster and your server works less.
Clear saved copies after you update your site.
Cloudflare docsDevelopment Mode
Development mode
Pauses saved copies for 3 hours so you see changes instantly while you work.
Turn on while editing, then let it switch itself off.
Cloudflare docsI'm Under Attack Mode
Under attack mode
Shows visitors a short check before they enter. Use only during an attack.
Turn on when your site is flooded with fake traffic.
Cloudflare docsDDoS
Flood attack
Many machines sending fake traffic at once to knock a site offline. Cloudflare blocks these for free.
Your 'threats blocked' number includes these.
Cloudflare docsWAF
Firewall
Rules that stop known hacking tricks before they reach your site.
Block a country or an IP that keeps attacking you.
Cloudflare docsBot traffic
Bots
Automated visitors. Some are useful (Google), some steal content or spam forms.
Bot fight mode challenges the bad ones.
Cloudflare docsAI bots
AI crawlers
Bots from AI companies that read your pages to train or answer questions.
Block them if you don't want your content used for AI.
Cloudflare docs301 / 302 redirect
Redirect
Automatically sends visitors from one link to another. 301 means forever, 302 means for now.
/old-pricing → https://yoursite.com/pricing
Cloudflare docsEmail Routing
Email forwarding
Gives you addresses like hello@yoursite.com and forwards mail to an inbox you already use.
hello@yoursite.com → you@gmail.com
Cloudflare docsWorkers & Pages
Apps
Code and websites that run on Cloudflare's network instead of your own server.
Your Astro or Next.js site deployed to Cloudflare.
Cloudflare docsWorkers AI
Cloudflare AI
AI models run by Cloudflare. Tamely's assistant runs on your account, free up to a daily allowance.
10,000 free units a day.
Cloudflare docsQuestions
- What is Tamely?
- A simple control panel for Cloudflare. You ask in plain words, it looks things up, explains what it found with sources, and prepares changes you confirm with one tap.
- Is Tamely made by Cloudflare?
- No. Tamely is an independent project built on Cloudflare's public API. It isn't made or endorsed by Cloudflare.
- Does Tamely cost anything?
- No. It runs its assistant on Cloudflare's own AI inside your account, which is free up to 10,000 units a day. Most people never reach that.
- Is my Cloudflare token safe?
- Tamely stores nothing on its servers. Your sign-in is encrypted in a cookie that page scripts can't read, and it ends after 7 days without use. Sign in with Cloudflare is the safest option: access is short-lived and you can revoke it any time. To sign out on every device, use Sign out everywhere.
- What permissions does it need?
- One click opens Cloudflare's token page with everything filled in: reading your sites and stats, editing DNS, safety switches, email forwarding, redirects, clearing the cache, and running Cloudflare AI.
- Can it break my website?
- Changes never happen on their own. Each one shows a plain summary and a Confirm button, and risky changes are marked.
- Do I need to understand DNS or SSL?
- No. Every screen uses plain words, and every Cloudflare term is explained with a link to the official docs.