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How to Verify a Domain for Load Testing (DNS TXT vs HTTP File)

3 min read
Loadcurl
Loadcurl
Loadcurl Team

Loadcurl will not send load-test traffic to arbitrary public URLs. Your workspace must verify the hostname first. That ownership gate protects the internet — and your own reputation — from accidental (or abusive) load.

Why verification exists​

Without it, any account could aim cloud generators at someone else’s API. Verification proves you control the DNS or the HTTP origin for that host.

A test URL is allowed when its hostname equals a verified domain or is a subdomain of one. Example: verifying example.com also covers api.example.com and staging.example.com.

Where to do it​

In the dashboard: Domains (/organization/domains).

  • Any member can view domains
  • Owner and Admin can add, verify, and remove

Caps​

WorkspaceMax domains
Personal1
Company10

The cap counts pending, failed, and verified rows.

Method A: DNS TXT (preferred)​

Add a TXT record:

FieldValue
Name / host_loadcurl.{your-domain}
Valueloadcurl-verify={token}

The exact token is shown in the app when you add the domain. DNS can take a few minutes to propagate — then click Verify again.

Choose DNS TXT when: you control DNS, want a durable proof, or the app sits behind a CDN that makes file checks awkward.

Method B: HTTP file​

Serve this path over HTTPS (HTTP is tried if HTTPS fails):

https://{your-domain}/.well-known/loadcurl-verification.txt

The body must be the challenge token. Redirects are rejected. The check times out after a few seconds.

Choose HTTP file when: you can deploy a static file quickly but DNS changes are slow (or owned by another team).

Challenge expiry and conflicts​

  • Pending challenges last 7 days. If expired, add the domain again for a new token.
  • You cannot verify a hostname another organization already has verified.
  • Statuses: Pending, Verified, Failed.

What you can enter​

  • A public DNS hostname (FQDN)
  • Not an IP address, port, wildcard, localhost, or platform apex names like vercel.app

Paste a full URL if you want — Loadcurl keeps the host only.

  1. Verify the staging apex or API host first
  2. Upgrade to a company workspace if you need multiple hosts (app, API, staging) — up to 10
  3. Keep production verification only if you run planned game days
  4. Document which method you used in the runbook

Verification is not a safety guarantee​

Proving ownership does not make unlimited production load safe. Prefer staging, use ramp-up, and set abort criteria. See Staging vs Production Load Testing.

After verification​

Open New test, compose or paste curl / Postman, set duration / ramp-up / target RPS, and start. Only verified hosts (and their subdomains) are accepted.

Full product steps: docs — Verify a domain.

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