Using Github Pages for Your Projects

Published: April 21, 2025

If you’ve ever built a simple project, portfolio, or web app and thought, “How do I put this online for free?” The answer might already be in your GitHub repo: GitHub Pages.

It’s GitHub’s built-in hosting for static websites. No config. No backend. No bill.

🚀 What You Can Host

• Portfolios and landing pages
• Docs for open-source projects
• Static web apps (like my rogue IP tool)
• Blog sites (like this one)
• HTML/CSS/JS playgrounds

🛠️ How It Works (In Simple Steps)

1. Push your project to GitHub

• git init
• git add ./*
• git commit -m "initial commit"
• git remote add origin https://github.com/yourusername/yourrepo.git
• git push -u origin main

2. Name your main file index.html

GitHub Pages looks for this as your homepage.

3. Go to repo settings → Pages

• Select source: main branch
• Choose /docs or root folder
• Click Save — and you’re live

Your link will look like: https://yourusername.github.io/yourrepo/

🔥 Pro Tips

• Custom domain? Add a CNAME file and update DNS
• Use relative paths for images and styles (./img/logo.png)
• Test locally with: python -m http.server 5500

🔄 Bonus: Updating is Instant

Every time you git push, your site is re-deployed. That means:

• Fix typos? Push
• Add new post? Push
• Ship new feature? Push

You’re always live.

✅ Real-World Use: How I Use It

I host:

• My personal portfolio
• Blogs like Terminal Commands and CEH Journey
• My JavaScript tools like the Rogue IP Identifier

All deployed straight from GitHub — no frameworks, no Netlify, no nonsense.

⚠️ Quick Drawbacks to Know

• Static only: No backend or databases supported
• No form support: You’ll need services like Formspree or Netlify Forms
• Public repos only: Free Pages only work on public repos
• No server logic: Can’t run Node, PHP, etc.

But for portfolios, tools, and docs — it’s honestly hard to beat.

🧠 Final Thoughts

GitHub Pages makes web deployment feel fun and instant. It forces you to write clean, static-friendly code. And it's the perfect companion for solo devs, learners, and OSS builders.

If you’ve got code — don’t let it rot in your editor. Put it on the web.