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dnsmigrator

Cloudflare DNS LuaDNS

Migrate DNS from Cloudflare to LuaDNS.

12 record types move as they are. 5 things work differently at LuaDNS, and the preview shows exactly which of your records they affect.

Free preview. Read-only. Nothing changes until you apply.

What works differently

Generated from the same provider capability data the migration engine uses.

Moves as-is

  • A
  • AAAA
  • CNAME
  • MX
  • TXT
  • NS
  • SRV
  • CAA
  • PTR
  • HTTPS
  • TLSA
  • SSHFP

Proxied records lose the CDN

LuaDNS has no equivalent of Cloudflare's proxy. Proxied records move as plain records pointing at your origin, which exposes the origin IP. Put a CDN in front before cutting over if that matters.

Apex CNAMEs need a different shape

LuaDNS doesn't allow a CNAME at the zone apex, but its ALIAS record does the same job. We convert them automatically.

"Auto" TTLs get a real value

Cloudflare's automatic TTL has no equivalent, so those records get LuaDNS's default of 3600s.

Domains registered at Cloudflare must transfer out

Cloudflare Registrar only allows Cloudflare's nameservers. If the domain is registered there, transfer it to another registrar before switching.

A typical Cloudflare zone at LuaDNS

Example records for example.com. Open any flagged row to read why it changed.

Cloudflare LuaDNS

  • TranslatedALIAS@

    app.example-host.net.

    Apex CNAME stored as a LuaDNS ALIAS record.

  • ExactMX@

    10 mx1.mail.example.net. +1

  • ExactTXT@

    "v=spf1 include:_spf.example.net -all"

  • ExactCAA@

    0 issue "letsencrypt.org"

  • ExactTXT_dmarc

    "v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc@example.com"

  • ExactSRV_sip._tls

    100 1 443 sip.example.net.

  • ExactAmail

    203.0.113.25

  • ReviewAshop

    203.0.113.10

    TTL was "auto". Set to 3600s.

  • ExactCNAMEwww

    example.com.

How the move works

  1. 1

    Connect Cloudflare

    Connect Cloudflare with read-only access (Scoped API token).

  2. 2

    Connect LuaDNS

    Connect LuaDNS (Account email + API key (HTTP Basic)). Write access is only used when you apply.

  3. 3

    Review the preview

    Check every record marked Review or Unsupported. Each one explains what changes and why.

  4. 4

    Apply to LuaDNS

    We snapshot the LuaDNS zone, write in batches, and leave Cloudflare untouched.

  5. 5

    Verify

    We query LuaDNS's own nameservers for every record and compare the answers before you switch.

  6. 6

    Switch nameservers

    Lower TTLs a day or two ahead, remove any DS record if DNSSEC is on, then point the domain at the new nameservers at your registrar.

Good to know about Cloudflare

  • Proxied (orange-cloud) records hide the origin IP. Moving them to another provider sends traffic straight to the origin.
  • Apex CNAMEs are flattened by Cloudflare. Other providers need an ALIAS record or static A/AAAA records instead.
  • Cloudflare Registrar only allows Cloudflare nameservers, so domains registered there must be transferred out first.

Access we need: Zone → DNS → Read for the preview, Zone → DNS → Edit to apply.

Good to know about LuaDNS

  • FORWARD (email forwarding), REDIRECT (web redirect) and FAILOVER records are LuaDNS features that are not read or written; recreate them in the dashboard.
  • The free plan enforces a 300-second minimum TTL and a 30-record limit; paid plans allow 60 seconds.
  • If the account uses LuaDNS Git integration, the next git build replaces API-made changes unless the zone file covers them with an ignore() rule.

Access we need: API access turned on in Settings and an API key, global or restricted to the zone. LuaDNS keys have no read-only mode, so the same key is used for preview and apply.

Questions

Will there be downtime moving from Cloudflare to LuaDNS?

Not if both providers serve the same answers during the switch. The records are copied to LuaDNS and verified before you change nameservers, so resolvers get the same answer from either side while caches expire.

Do I have to delete anything at Cloudflare?

No. We never write to Cloudflare. Keep the old zone for a week after cutover so you can switch back instantly if anything looks wrong.

What about DNSSEC?

If DNSSEC is on, remove the DS record at your registrar and wait for it to expire before switching nameservers. Then enable DNSSEC at LuaDNS and publish its new DS record. The cutover plan walks you through each step.

What happens to Cloudflare proxied records?

They move as ordinary records pointing at your origin server, because LuaDNS can't proxy traffic. The preview lists every proxied record and the IP it would expose.

Related migrations

Ready to see your own zone?

Start a free preview