The site you’ve created so far exists in a class-level GitHub account. It will be archived at the end of the course and will become inaccessible. While we’ve done some basic work in GitHub, there are so many features that we’ve yet to explore. While GitHub’s primary use is for hosting source code for full-stack applications (front-end applications, back-end services, and combinations of both), it also can be used as a free way to host front-end websites as we have been doing this semester.

Important note about naming repositories

By default, your repository will have the URL http://[username].github.io/[repository_name]. You can set GitHub to automatically set a website to be your default website at http://[username].github.io by naming your repository [username.github.io] (for example, mine would be mjsamberg.github.io). That means that users would need a subdirectory to get to that site.

Purchasing a Domain Name

In addition to a github.io URL, you can buy your own domain name (myawesomeeci519website.com) and use it for GitHub with no additional charges beyond the purchase of the domain name (generally around $15/year). In the GitHub pages setup, you can specify your custom domain to be used and then head over to a site like Google Domains or GoDaddy to purchase your domain name. Once you purchase the domain name, you have to add the records to point the domain name to GitHub Pages (Instructions for Google Domains).

Other Hosting Options

Other sites, like GoDaddy offer hosting options as well. If you want to host there, simply follow the instructions to upload your site files to those sites.