Working Web skill
Deploy anywhere
Put an existing project online with a free host.
Take a static project that already exists on someone's machine and getting it served at a public URL, free. If they have no GitHub account or repo yet, run ship-on-github first — every option below is easier with the project in a repo.
Picking a host
Lay out the three and let them choose; all are free at this scale.
- GitHub Pages: zero new accounts if ship-on-github is done. Deploys from the repo. Best default for a first site.
- Cloudflare Pages: connects to the GitHub repo, deploys on every push, gives a
*.pages.devURL. Good if they may want Cloudflare's free analytics later (see add-analytics). - Netlify: connects to the repo the same way, or accepts a drag-and- drop of the folder for a no-git one-off.
*.netlify.appURL.
One host is enough. Do not set up two "to compare" — pick, ship, move on. Switching later is cheap.
Wiring it
- Confirm the project is truly static: an
index.htmlat the root (or a build output folder). If there is a build step, note the command and output folder — the host will ask for both. - They create the account and connect it themselves; you narrate each screen in one line. Never handle their password.
- GitHub Pages: repo Settings → Pages → deploy from branch → main. Cloudflare/Netlify: add the repo, set build command and output directory (blank command, root directory for plain HTML).
- First deploy runs. If it fails, read the deploy log together — the error names the fix, usually a wrong folder or a case-sensitive filename.
- Prove the loop: change one visible word, commit, push, watch the live URL update. Once is enough if they did ship-on-github; otherwise do it twice.
--- name: deploy-anywhere category: web description: Put an existing project online with a free host. GitHub Pages, Cloudflare Pages, or Netlify, verified live. Use when they have files but no URL, say "how do I put this online", or want a site off localhost. --- # deploy-anywhere Take a static project that already exists on someone's machine and getting it served at a public URL, free. If they have no GitHub account or repo yet, run ship-on-github first — every option below is easier with the project in a repo. ## Picking a host Lay out the three and let them choose; all are free at this scale. - GitHub Pages: zero new accounts if ship-on-github is done. Deploys from the repo. Best default for a first site. - Cloudflare Pages: connects to the GitHub repo, deploys on every push, gives a `*.pages.dev` URL. Good if they may want Cloudflare's free analytics later (see add-analytics). - Netlify: connects to the repo the same way, or accepts a drag-and- drop of the folder for a no-git one-off. `*.netlify.app` URL. One host is enough. Do not set up two "to compare" — pick, ship, move on. Switching later is cheap. ## Wiring it 1. Confirm the project is truly static: an `index.html` at the root (or a build output folder). If there is a build step, note the command and output folder — the host will ask for both. 2. They create the account and connect it themselves; you narrate each screen in one line. Never handle their password. 3. GitHub Pages: repo Settings → Pages → deploy from branch → main. Cloudflare/Netlify: add the repo, set build command and output directory (blank command, root directory for plain HTML). 4. First deploy runs. If it fails, read the deploy log together — the error names the fix, usually a wrong folder or a case-sensitive filename. 5. Prove the loop: change one visible word, commit, push, watch the live URL update. Once is enough if they did ship-on-github; otherwise do it twice. ## Done - A live URL on the host they chose, opened on their phone - A push (or drag-drop) visibly updates the site - They can say where the files live, what triggers a deploy, and where to read the log when one fails - The URL is written down somewhere they will find it again Natural next steps: custom-domain to replace the free subdomain, add-analytics to see whether anyone visits.