How GitHub Pages Works for Beginners

GitHub Pages is a free service that allows anyone to create and publish a website directly from a GitHub repository. It is simple, beginner-friendly, and widely used for personal sites, portfolios, documentation, and small projects.

This guide explains how GitHub Pages works in easy terms and why many people choose it for hosting websites.

---

What Is GitHub Pages?

GitHub Pages is a feature provided by GitHub that turns files in a repository into a live website.

This means you can host a website without paying for hosting, buying a server, or setting up complex tools.

All you need is:

• A GitHub account
• An online repository
• Basic files like HTML, CSS, or Markdown

---

How GitHub Pages Delivers Your Website

GitHub Pages works by taking the content of your repository and automatically converting it into a website.

Here’s how it works step-by-step:

1. You create or upload website files (HTML, CSS, images, etc.)
2. You push or save the files to a GitHub repository
3. You enable GitHub Pages in the repository settings
4. GitHub publishes your site at a free URL

Your published site usually looks like this:

https://yourusername.github.io

or:

https://yourusername.github.io/repository-name

---

Types of GitHub Pages Sites

GitHub Pages offers two main types of sites:

1. User Site

• Published at yourusername.github.io
• Represents your profile or main page

2. Project Site

• Published at yourusername.github.io/project-name
• Used for apps, tools, demos, or documentation

---

Why Beginners Use GitHub Pages

GitHub Pages is popular because it is:

• Free — no hosting cost required
• Easy to use — no server setup needed
• Fast — GitHub uses global CDN delivery
• Beginner-friendly — works with simple HTML
• Perfect for learning — helps new developers practice

---

Can You Use Custom Domains?

Yes. GitHub Pages allows you to connect your own domain name (e.g., yourwebsite.com).

This is optional but useful if you want a branded URL.

---

What You Can Host on GitHub Pages

You can host:

• Personal portfolios
• Business landing pages
• Documentation sites
• Static HTML websites
• Project demos

However, GitHub Pages is for static websites only. It does not support databases or server-side scripts like PHP.

---

Limitations to Be Aware Of

GitHub Pages is powerful, but there are limits:

• No backend or server-side code
• File size and repository limits
• Advanced features require some coding knowledge

Still, for beginners, educators, and developers, GitHub Pages is one of the best free hosting options.

---

Final Thoughts

GitHub Pages is an excellent tool for beginners who want to publish a website without spending money. It is easy to set up, fast to deploy, and perfect for learning the basics of web development.

Whether you’re creating a portfolio, hosting documentation, or experimenting with web design, GitHub Pages provides a simple and reliable way to get your site online.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. Features and limitations may change based on GitHub’s updates.