I'm back from my newsletter hiatus!
I've been diligently working on another LinkedIn Learning course, and I was in Carpinteria, California just over a month ago to record it. This course is a big one, so it's still in the editing process, but I am excited to share more details once it's ready.
Now, let's dive into Issue 11, where I'll provide an overview of the different options available for publishing your website and getting it online.
What are Domains and Web Hosting?
Getting your website online usually involves two things: a domain and a web host.
Domains
A domain is basically the address for your website (e.g. mywebsite.com) and is what people use to access your site. Domains are purchased from a domain registrar, which is an organization that manages the reservation of domain names.
If you don't have a website, you can still use a domain name for other purposes. For example, you can:
Redirect it somewhere else, like your LinkedIn page, which can serve as an online resume. Or use a portfolio builder site like Behance or a Facebook page.
Set up custom email addresses. Instead of getting stuck with something like “christinatruong3@gmail.com” because someone else with the same name is already using it, use your own domain name to provide consistent branding and a professional email address for your clients and customers to use.
I recommend getting a domain as soon as possible, before someone else snatches it up!
Web Hosting
After registering a domain, it must be linked to a web hosting provider in order to make the website accessible on the internet.
Web hosting is a service that provides the technology necessary to store the files that make up your website, allowing anyone connected to the internet to access your website. Purchasing hosting is essentially renting web server space for your website's files.
Setting up a Domain and Web Host
There are two ways to set up your domain and hosting:
Use a specific platform where the service provider manages it, or
Self-host it and manage it yourself.
Platform Hosted
Website builders and eCommerce platforms
Website builders such as Squarespace, Wix, and eCommerce platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce offer domain registration and hosting as part of their services. They also provide templates that simplify website design and maintenance. These features streamline the publishing process and reduce the technical knowledge required to create and maintain a site.
However, using platform-hosted services can also have disadvantages. For instance, if you use Squarespace, you must host your website on their platform and cannot transfer your site if you switch services. Though some platforms offer the option to export your content, it may not include everything, and switching often entails rebuilding all or part of the site.
Online coding platforms
There are also web-based coding platforms that let you write HTML, CSS, and JavaScript directly in the browser and instantly share your work online. These platforms are often used for learning, experimenting, and creating fun projects, and allow you to “remix” or “fork” other users' projects, meaning you can start with an existing project and customize it to your liking. This is why they are sometimes referred to as social coding platforms, since developers can collaborate and share code.
CodePen is a popular platform with two types of editors: projects and pens. Projects have a desktop text editor-like interface that includes a file system. Within this interface, you can create HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files. Note that a free account only provides access to a single project.
The other option are Pens, which divides the editor into three panels: one for HTML, one for CSS, and one for JavaScript. The resulting output is displayed at the bottom of the page.
Each Pen or Project has an automatically generated URL that is unique and can be shared. The default view is the editor view, which shows the code panels with the output. However, you can also share a specific view. To change the view, click the icon that looks like the editor with the three panels, and select an option. The "Full Page View" displays only the Pen's output, without the code panels.
However, the Codepen menu bar will still be visible at the top. Here’s an example. The paid Pro account includes access to more views, as well as custom domains and more advanced features for projects.
Glitch is another free online coding platform where you can create your own projects or remix an existing project. There is only one type of editor layout, which resembles a text editor. By default, the output panel is shown on the same page. However, you can choose to preview it in a separate window by changing the setting in the Preview panel at the bottom of the page.
There are also templates available to be remixed, ranging from a basic website or a simple bio page to using Node, React, Eleventy, and even a database option.
Although these platforms may not be suitable for running a full-scale e-commerce site or your company's website, they are great free alternatives for fun or personal projects.
Self-Hosted
Self-hosted options are best for projects that require more control and customization, or if you're building your own site instead of using a website builder.
Some services, such as Google Domains or Hover (which I use), only offer domain registration. Other hosting companies, like BlueHost or Dreamhost, offer both web hosting and domain registration. Many hosting companies also provide their own website builders. If you're not sure which service to choose, try searching for "domain registrar" or "web hosting." This will give you a list of service providers and review articles to help you decide.
Purchasing Domains and Hosting
For self-hosted websites, you can purchase a domain and hosting separately or together.
Purchasing a domain and hosting package together is convenient because everything is in one place. The process is more streamlined, and if you encounter any issues, you only have to deal with one provider.
But keeping them separate also has its benefits. Many domain registrars offer more domain name options than hosting companies, and you can use different providers for different services. For example, you may prefer one company for email and another for websites. Even though most hosting providers promise close to 100% uptime, there is still a chance of occasional downtime. So if you keep your services separate, if one goes down, the other is still operational.
Whether you decide to keep your domains and hosting together or separate usually comes down to personal preference. Although it may require some work, you can always switch services as your needs change.
Uploading files
When using a self-hosted option for your website, the final step is to upload your website files to the hosting server. There are a couple of ways to upload files: File Manager or FTP.
A File Manager is a web-based tool used to transfer files to the web server. It can be accessed from your hosting account in the control panel. Files are uploaded or downloaded using the web interface.
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, which is used to transfer files from your computer to the web server. SFTP stands for Secure File Transfer Protocol. It works the same way as FTP, but with an extra layer of security. This protocol encrypts the data being transferred and is recommended over FTP. To upload a file using FTP, you need an FTP client, which is software that connects to the hosting server. Some popular free options include FileZilla and Cyberduck.
Alternative Hosting Options for Static Sites
Static websites are created using front-end languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and do not rely on databases or server-side languages. While these types of sites can be published on any type of hosting server, there are many providers specifically for static websites.
One option is GitHub Pages, which turns your repositories into websites. After publishing the site, a URL will be generated: username.github.io or organization.github.io for your user or organization site, and username.github.io/project-name for all other project repositories. Instead of uploading files, updates are automatically pushed to the live site when you commit your files to your repository. You can also set up a custom domain for any of these repositories.
While GitHub Pages is a great option if you're already using Git or just want to put up a quick and free website, there are some usage limits. For example, GitHub Pages was not intended to be used for commercial websites, and there are limits on space and bandwidth.
If you require additional features, try a service such as Netlify, which is the service I use. Netlify offers a free tier that allows you to host multiple websites and provides other features, such as the ability to roll back to previous versions.
When creating a new website, you can connect to any existing Git project, not just GitHub. Alternatively, you can begin a new project with a template. For those who prefer not to use Git, there is also a "deploy manually" option that allows you to drag and drop your files instead.
While static sites can be published on any type of hosting server, utilizing services like Netlify and Github Pages will enable you to incorporate automatic deployments by connecting to your Git accounts. This can be especially useful if you are already using Git.
The option you choose depends on several factors, such as the type of website, its features, pricing, personal preferences, and technical knowledge. To learn more about these topics, check out my course on LinkedIn Learning: "How to Get Your Website Online".
