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What Is the DNSimple Sandbox?

Table of Contents

Video walk-through

DNSimple maintains an isolated test environment at sandbox.dnsimple.com that mirrors the full production platform — web interface, domain management, DNS hosting, and API. The Sandbox provides a safe space to explore DNSimple features, test workflows, and develop integrations without risking changes to live domains, DNS records, or certificates.

Why use the Sandbox?

Working directly in a production environment can lead to unintended consequences — accidentally modifying live DNS records, triggering real domain registrations, or consuming API rate limits during development. The Sandbox eliminates these risks by providing a fully functional copy of DNSimple where you can experiment freely. Every action within the Sandbox is free of charge.

The Sandbox is valuable for:

  • Evaluating DNSimple: Try out the full web interface, explore DNS management features, and test one-click services before committing to a plan.
  • Domain workflow testing: Register, transfer, and renew domains through the web UI or API. Registrations run against registry OT&E (Operational Test and Evaluation) environments, not live registries.
  • DNS zone management: Add zones and records to test record formats, automation workflows, and integrations. Records do not resolve on the public internet.
  • Subscription and billing testing: Subscribe to any plan using Stripe test credit cards to verify billing workflows without real charges.
  • API integration development: Build and test your integration code against the full DNSimple API before pointing it at production.
  • CI/CD pipeline testing: Validate DNS automation scripts in your continuous integration workflow without touching live infrastructure.
  • Team onboarding: Give new team members a safe environment to learn DNSimple — whether through the web interface or the API.

Sandbox vs. production

The Sandbox mirrors the production environment, so workflows that succeed in the Sandbox will work in production with minimal changes. The key differences are:

  • Separate accounts: Your Sandbox account is independent of your production account. Create a Sandbox account to get started. If you are using the API, generate a separate API access token.
  • Separate URLs: The Sandbox web interface is at https://sandbox.dnsimple.com. The Sandbox API is at https://api.sandbox.dnsimple.com.
  • No real DNS resolution: There is no public authoritative name server in the Sandbox. Zones and records you create will not resolve on the public internet.
  • Simulated domain registrations: Domain registrations, transfers, and renewals run against registry OT&E environments, not live production registries. Domains registered in the Sandbox do not affect real-world domain status.
  • No certificate testing: SSL/TLS certificate testing is not currently supported in the Sandbox because certificate validation requires actual DNS service.
  • Test credit cards for billing: Use Stripe test card numbers to subscribe to plans. 4242 4242 4242 4242 makes payments succeed; 4000 0000 0000 0341 makes payments fail. See the Stripe testing documentation for more options.
  • Data is not guaranteed: Sandbox data and systems are generally treated like production, but DNSimple may occasionally need to take the environment down or clear stored data.

Getting started

Through the web interface

Setting up a Sandbox account
  1. Go to sandbox.dnsimple.com/signup and create an account. It does not need to match your production account.
  2. Choose a plan that matches the features you want to test.
  3. Subscribe using a Stripe test credit card number (e.g. 4242 4242 4242 4242 with any future expiration date and any CVC).
  4. Start adding domains, managing DNS zones, and exploring DNSimple features.

Through the API

Follow the Getting Started With the DNSimple Sandbox tutorial for a step-by-step guide to setting up your development environment and running your first API calls.

Before diving in, review Sandbox Common Pitfalls and DNSimple API Best Practices to avoid common mistakes.

For the complete API reference, visit the DNSimple Developer Documentation. For Sandbox-specific API details, see the Sandbox documentation.

Have more questions?

If you have additional questions or need any assistance with the DNSimple Sandbox, contact support, and we’ll be happy to help.