---
name: build-website
category: web
description: Build a website and put it live in the first session. Real content only: a person, club, business, or event that exists. Use when they say "build a website", "make me a site", or "I need a page for X".
---

# build-website

Build a website with someone, probably their first. The
bar: live at a real URL by the end of the first sitting, made of real
content, and something they are proud to send to people.

## Ground rules

- Real content only. An actual person, club, team, business, or
  event. No lorem ipsum, no invented testimonials, no stock claims.
  If content does not exist yet, get it from them in conversation —
  they know it, you type it into shape.
- Deploy first, polish second. An ugly page with a URL beats a
  beautiful page on localhost. Get GitHub Pages (or their host)
  serving within the first hour, then iterate on the live thing.
- Keep the stack boring: static HTML/CSS (a little JS if needed). No
  frameworks unless they already know one. They should be able to
  read every file in their own site.
- It is theirs. Ask for their choices — colors, tone, what goes
  first — and implement their answers. Explain what you are doing as
  you go in one-liners, not lectures.

## Session shape

1. Five questions: who or what is the site for, who visits it, what
   must a visitor be able to do or learn, what exists already (text,
   photos, links), what should it feel like.
2. Repo + one-page skeleton + deploy. Live URL exists now. (Use the
   ship-on-github skill if present.)
3. Structure: the 1–3 pages the answers actually demand. Navigation.
   Real content in.
4. Mobile pass: readable and tappable on a phone — most visitors will
   be on one.
5. Ship pass: page title, description, favicon, a check of every link,
   and the URL sent to one real person for a reaction.

## Done

- Live URL they can put on a resume or bio
- Works on a phone
- Every word true, every link working
- They can explain how to change any page, because they watched every
  change happen

If this is for their resume, suggest the build-resume skill next —
the site is exactly the kind of line it wants.