Hey everyone! I've been building a website using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and NodeJS in Visual Studio Code, and I think it's coming along nicely. I want to make it live so I can share it with friends and get feedback for improvements. I'm looking for the easiest ways to publish it online for free, at least for now. I've heard of GitHub Pages and Netlify, but I'm not sure how to get started or which one would be better for someone just starting out. Since I'm a high schooler, I don't have much money to spend. Any step-by-step guides or advice would be really appreciated! Thanks!
6 Answers
You might want to look into GitHub Pages, Firebase, or Supabase. They all have free options. Just remember, GitHub Pages only works for static sites, so if you're using NodeJS, you will need a different solution.
If your site has a backend (like with Node.js), your options narrow a bit. For free and reliable hosting, you could consider ad-supported hosts or those with free tiers like Netlify, AWS, or Google Cloud. I personally recommend Heroku for smaller projects, but keep in mind I loved it until they changed their free tier!
There are plenty of options out there! It might seem complicated at first, especially since publishing is so different from just building the site, but it's actually much easier than you think!
I use Netlify sometimes, especially for different apps. It's super user-friendly and works well with a lot of setups.
Definitely check out this [GitHub Pages guide](https://docs.github.com/en/pages/getting-started-with-github-pages/creating-a-github-pages-site) if you decide to go that route. It's free and a good starting point, but remember, you’ll need a static site.
Just a heads up, OP has mentioned they're using NodeJS, so GitHub Pages might not work for you.
Right, but how are the free tiers for Firebase and Supabase? I can't use GitHub Pages because I need a backend.