How to publish websites using Github

Photo by Bram Naus on Unsplash

Where to publish websites and share them with friends is the main issue for someone who is learning web development. So, Github helps us create website free of cost

In this article, I would be describing how to publish website on github. You just need to have content for website and Github Desktop Application. So let’s start 🚀.

1. Github Account & Github Desktop

To publish your content on the web through GitHub you need to have your Github account. And if you don’t have then you need to create one.

Github signup page

To add the website content on github, we are going to use Github desktop. It is the simplest way one could add content on github.

To download Github Desktop click here.

GitHub Desktop Homepage

2. Create Repository

Before uploading code, we need to create repository on github where we will be uploading all the content.

Click on New on top left section of your github account to create new repository.

Create Repository by clicking on New Button

Give a proper repository_name and a bit of description about your project as well. Don’t forget to make this repository public so that we would be able to create website. Then initialize repository with a Readme file and create Repository.

Steps while creating GitHub repository

3. Add content to Github

Now, repository_name would be visible on the dashboard. After opening that repository click on code and then select Open with GitHub Desktop. You’ll get a pop-up Open GitHub Desktop window and that repository will be cloned.

various options for downloading code from Github

Now, browse files to where the repository is cloned into local storage and paste all the content of website into that cloned folder.

All the added files will be visible in GitHub Desktop. We just need to add summary and description (if needed). After this commit to master and then Push Origin.

All thw content will be visible on GitHub. One last step and your site is there.

4. Publish on GitHub pages

Now in repository settings :

https://github.com/github_username/repository_name

you will find GitHub Pages. Select branch -> Master branch and save changes. Now, you will see a message at the top of GitHub Pages :

Your site is published at https://github_username.github.io/repository_name/

Note : Make sure this URL contains the address till your index.html file.

Well done 🎉 you’ve successfully created your website using GitHub Desktop Wohoo.

Photo by Brett Garwood on Unsplash

Now you can see your files on github and view pages on browser as well. So now whenever you need to update files you can add or delete files then commit and push.

Let me know if I missed any steps, if something didn’t work out quite right for you, if this was helpful or need more changes! Thank you for reading!

Happy coding! 😄💖💻