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Try these free tools
Your site works on your computer. Now let's put it on the internet so anyone can visit it. Once live, make sure to check your performance and SEO.
Think of it this way: your website is a bunch of files. Hosting is renting a computer that is always on, always connected to the internet, and serves those files to anyone who visits your web address. Three things make it work:
The code, images, and content that make up your website live on a hosting server — a computer that never sleeps.
The web address people type in (like yourname.com) that points visitors to where your files are stored.
The padlock in your browser. It encrypts data so visitors are safe. Most hosting platforms add this for free.
These services take your project and put it on the internet. Most have a generous free tier — you can launch your first site without paying anything. For a deeper comparison, see our hosting guide.
Best for Next.js & React
Made by the creators of Next.js. Push your code to GitHub and your site is live in seconds. Extremely fast and reliable.
If you built your site with Next.js, Vercel is the easiest choice. Connect your GitHub repo and you are done.
Great for static sites
Drag and drop your project folder or connect GitHub. Includes forms, authentication, and serverless functions.
Netlify has a drag-and-drop deploy feature. Just drag your project folder onto their dashboard — no terminal needed.
Full-stack hosting
Host websites, APIs, and databases in one place. Great if your project has a backend or needs a database.
Simple infrastructure
Deploy apps, databases, and background jobs with one click. Very beginner-friendly dashboard.
Free static hosting
Completely free hosting for simple websites, directly from your GitHub repository. Perfect for portfolios and landing pages.
GitHub Pages only works for static sites (no backend or database). Perfect for portfolios and simple projects.
Edge deployment
Global edge network for blazing-fast performance. Unlimited bandwidth on the free tier. Great for any frontend project.
Cloudflare Pages gives you unlimited bandwidth for free. If you expect lots of visitors, this is a great pick.
Vercel is our recommended platform. Here is how to go from “works on my computer” to “live on the internet” in about five minutes.
Upload your project code to a GitHub repository. Your AI tool can do this for you.
Go to vercel.com and sign in with your GitHub account.
Vercel will show your GitHub projects. Click the one you want to deploy.
Vercel auto-detects your project type. Just click Deploy and wait about 60 seconds.
Your site is now at yourproject.vercel.app. Share the link with anyone.
Ask your AI tool to help you deploy
"I have a project on my computer and I want to put it on the internet using Vercel. Walk me through pushing my code to GitHub and deploying it on Vercel step by step."
A domain is your web address (like yourname.com). You do not need one right away — your hosting platform gives you a free address like yoursite.vercel.app. But when you are ready for a professional look, here is where to buy one. For a deeper dive, see our custom domain guide.
Once you have a domain and a hosting platform, you need to connect them. Think of it like forwarding your mail to a new address. Here are the four steps:
Pick a registrar (Namecheap, Porkbun, etc.) and purchase your domain name.
Go to your hosting dashboard (Vercel, Netlify, etc.) and add your custom domain.
Your host will give you DNS records. Copy them and add them at your domain registrar.
DNS changes can take 5 minutes to 48 hours. Your host will confirm when it is ready.
Ask your AI tool for help connecting your domain
"I bought a domain on Namecheap and my site is hosted on Vercel. Walk me through connecting my custom domain step by step, including what DNS records to add."
Most platforms have a free tier that is perfect for learning and small projects. You can always upgrade later.
Our advice: Start free. Every platform on this page has a free tier that handles real traffic. Upgrade only when you actually hit limits — most hobby projects never do. Before you go live, run through our deployment checklist to catch common issues.
The terminal (also called the command line) is where deployment often happens. Think of it as texting your computer instead of clicking buttons. You do not need to memorize anything — just tell your AI tool what you need.
Tell your AI tool:
“Install the project dependencies”
Tell your AI tool:
“Start the development server so I can preview my site”
Tell your AI tool:
“Save all my changes with Git and add a message describing what I changed”
Tell your AI tool:
“Push my latest changes to GitHub”
Tell your AI tool:
“Create a new GitHub repository for this project and push my code to it”
Tell your AI tool:
“Build my project for production so it is ready to deploy”
Tell your AI tool:
“Check my project for any errors before I deploy”
Tell your AI tool:
“Pull the latest changes from GitHub”
Copy-paste these prompts into your AI tool to apply what you just learned.
DEPLOY TO VERCEL
"Help me deploy my Next.js app to Vercel. Walk me through connecting my GitHub repo, setting environment variables, and going live."
FIX A DEPLOYMENT ERROR
"My deployment is failing. Here is the error: [paste error]. Help me fix it and get my site live."
SET UP ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
"I have API keys and secrets that my app needs to work. Show me how to set up environment variables in Vercel so my keys stay private but my app can still use them."
These terms come up a lot when deploying. Here is what they mean in plain English.
Companies where you buy web addresses. Think of them like a phone book — they keep track of who owns which domain. Popular ones: Namecheap, Cloudflare, Porkbun.
Stands for Domain Name System. It translates yoursite.com into a number (IP address) that computers use to find your server. You rarely touch this directly.
The padlock icon in your browser. It means the connection is encrypted and safe. Every modern host gives you this for free — no extra setup needed.
Replacing the free address (yoursite.vercel.app) with your own address (yoursite.com). You buy a domain, then point it at your hosting platform.
