Free hosting for static sites

If your site is only HTML, CSS, JavaScript and images (no PHP, no database), you can host it free, fast and with HTTPS, on global networks. Perfect for portfolios, landing pages, school projects and documentation.

Static vs dynamic, one more time

A static site can still have forms (via services like Formspree), a WhatsApp button and Google Maps.

Option 1: GitHub Pages

Best if you already use Git.

1. Put your site in a GitHub repository, with index.html at the root.
2. Go to Settings → Pages.
3. Under Source, choose Deploy from a branch, pick main and / (root), and Save.
4. After a minute your site is live at https://yourname.github.io/repo-name/.
5. A repository named exactly yourname.github.io publishes at https://yourname.github.io/.

Every git push updates the site automatically.

Option 2: Netlify

1. Sign up at netlify.com (with GitHub).
2. Add new site → Deploy manually and drag your site folder into the browser. Done: you get a something.netlify.app address.
3. Or connect a GitHub repo so every push deploys.

Extras: free forms (<form data-netlify="true">), redirects and preview links for every change.

Option 3: Cloudflare Pages

Connect a Git repository or upload files. Uses Cloudflare's worldwide network (with locations in Africa, including Nairobi and Mombasa), so it's very fast for Kenyan visitors.

Comparison

Using your own domain (e.g. amina.co.ke)

1. Buy the domain from a registrar (any KENIC-accredited registrar for .co.ke).
2. In the hosting service, add the custom domain; it shows you DNS records.
3. At your registrar, add those records, typically:
4. a CNAME record for www pointing to yourname.github.io (or your Netlify/Cloudflare address), and
5. A records (or ALIAS) for the bare domain as instructed.
6. Wait for DNS to update (minutes to a few hours), then turn on Enforce HTTPS.

See the DNS records lesson for what A and CNAME mean.

Before you publish: a checklist

• Every page has a <title>, description and viewport meta tag.
• Images are compressed (under ~200 KB each).
• Links are relative (about.html, not C:\Users\...). File names are lowercase, no spaces.
• A 404.html page for broken links.
• Test on a phone.
• No secrets in your code: everything in a public repo is public.

Who uses free static hosting

Students publish portfolios, developers host project demos, NGOs and churches run simple information sites, and small businesses launch landing pages, all without paying monthly hosting fees. Static hosts serve plain HTML, CSS, JavaScript and images extremely fast through global networks (CDNs), with free HTTPS. For many simple websites, they're faster, cheaper and more secure than traditional shared hosting.

What "static" can still do

Static doesn't mean boring. A static site can include:

When you need user logins, a database you manage, or server-side PHP, use shared hosting, a VPS or a platform service instead.

Deploying with Git: automatic updates

The best workflow connects your GitHub repository to the host:

1. Push your site to GitHub.
2. In Netlify or Cloudflare Pages, choose "Import from Git" and select the repository.
3. Set the build command (empty for plain HTML; npm run build for Vite/React) and the output folder (/, dist or build).
4. Every git push to main deploys a new version automatically.
5. Pull requests get preview URLs, so you (or a client) can check changes before they go live.

Custom domains step by step

1. Buy a domain from a registrar (for .co.ke, a KENIC-accredited registrar; for .com, any registrar).
2. In the host's dashboard, add the custom domain.
3. At your registrar's DNS settings, add the records the host tells you, typically:

1. Wait for DNS to update (minutes to a few hours, sometimes longer).
2. Turn on Enforce HTTPS once the certificate is issued.

Alternatively, point the domain's name servers to Cloudflare or Netlify DNS and manage records there.

Redirects and custom 404 pages

# Netlify: _redirects file in the published folder
/old-services   /services   301
/blog/*         /articles/:splat   301

• A 404.html page in the root is shown for missing pages on GitHub Pages, Netlify and Cloudflare Pages: make it helpful, with links home and to popular pages.
• Use 301 redirects when you rename pages, so old links and search rankings keep working.

Headers for security and speed

Netlify and Cloudflare Pages support a _headers file:

/*
  X-Frame-Options: DENY
  X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff
  Referrer-Policy: strict-origin-when-cross-origin
/assets/*
  Cache-Control: public, max-age=31536000, immutable

Long caching for versioned assets (files whose names change when the content changes) makes repeat visits very fast.

Limits to know

Free plans have limits on bandwidth, build minutes, file sizes and commercial use, which change over time. GitHub Pages, for example, is intended for project and personal sites and has size and bandwidth guidelines. Read each host's current terms before using a free plan for a busy commercial site.

Choosing the right hosting

Practice

1. Publish a one-page site on GitHub Pages and on Netlify; compare the process.
2. Connect a repository to Netlify or Cloudflare Pages and confirm a git push redeploys the site.
3. Add a custom 404 page and a redirect from an old URL.
4. Add a contact form using a form service and test it.
5. Run PageSpeed Insights on the published site.