I'm diving into web development with tools like React and Angular, but I need to whip up a really simple website to showcase rental properties. The site will mainly feature pictures of a house, along with a phone number, an email address, and some basic info for potential renters. I think I can manage it with just HTML and CSS, possibly adding some JavaScript for a slider effect.
However, I've only ever deployed an Angular app on Render, which takes a minute to load since it builds the app every time. I have zero experience with hosting!
So, I'm wondering: what are some good options for hosting a basic site like this? Do I need to buy a domain, or can I do it for free? Also, since they're willing to pay, what would be a fair price for a simple project like this? Even if I underprice it, I can add it to my resume, right?
5 Answers
I’d recommend Cloudflare Pages for a project like this. If you're using GitHub, you can connect it to a private repo, which makes updating your site a breeze!
I had a similar setup, and I found GitHub Pages to be super straightforward and free. You can also pair it with a custom domain for a more professional look!
If you're looking to rank your site in search engines, you might need to buy a domain. If a subdomain works for you, then GitHub Pages or something similar would be a good fit. If you decide on a domain, you could either go with an easier option like GoDaddy (not the best though) or rent a Linux server through Amazon or DigitalOcean for more control but at the cost of needing to handle the server yourself. Looking at your future growth potential is smart!
For a basic static site, you don’t have to buy a domain, but it’s really worth it for branding. You could get a domain for about $11 a year from services like Porkbun. For hosting, check out a static plan that might cost around $3 a month. Just build your site using pure HTML, CSS, maybe a little JS, compress it, and upload it. Netlify is also a great option if you want something really simple to drop and deploy!
Definitely! Plus, Render.com has free static hosting too, which could be an option.
You should definitely check out GitHub Pages, Netlify, or Cloudflare Pages for hosting. They all offer free hosting and provide you with a custom subdomain like "project-name.netlify.app". Super easy to use!
Agreed! Renting a server gives you lots of room to scale later, but it's definitely more technical. If you want something easier, stick with GitHub Pages!