# How to Deploy a website on GitHub Pages for FREE
**URL:** https://jtechforums.org/t/how-to-deploy-a-website-on-github-pages-for-free/4324
**Category:** Hosting
**Tags:** Guide, GitHub
**Created:** [September 9, 2025, 12:22am UTC](https://jtechforums.org/t/how-to-deploy-a-website-on-github-pages-for-free/4324 "2025-09-09T00:22:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Shalom\_Karr](https://jtechforums.org/u/Shalom_Karr)
#### Post date: [September 9, 2025, 12:22am UTC](https://jtechforums.org/t/how-to-deploy-a-website-on-github-pages-for-free/4324/1 "2025-09-09T00:22:05Z")
# How to Deploy an Existing Public Repository with GitHub Pages
Already have a project in a public GitHub repository? This guide will show you how to quickly publish it as a live website using GitHub Pages. It’s a free and powerful way to host your static websites (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).
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### **Step 1: Prerequisites - Check Your Repository**
Before you start, make sure you have the following set up:
1. **A Public GitHub Repository:** The project you want to deploy must already exist in a **public** repository on your GitHub account. GitHub Pages for free accounts only works with public repos.
2. **An `index.html` file:** Your repository **must** contain an `index.html` file in the main (root) directory. This is the file that will be shown as your homepage.
> If your project is missing an `index.html` file, you can easily add one directly on GitHub by navigating to your repository and clicking `Add file > Create new file`.
### **Step 2: Activate GitHub Pages in Your Repository Settings**
This is where you tell GitHub to turn your code into a live website.
1. Go to the main page of your existing public repository on GitHub.
2. Click the **“Settings”** tab in the navigation bar (next to “Code”, “Issues”, etc.).
3. In the left sidebar of the Settings page, click on **“Pages”**.
4. Under the “Build and deployment” section, ensure the **Source** is set to **“Deploy from a branch”**. This is usually the default.
5. Under the **Branch** section, select `main` (or `master` if that’s the name of your primary branch) from the dropdown menu. Leave the folder as `/ (root)`.
6. Click the **“Save”** button.
### **Step 3: Visit Your Live Website!**
You’re done! Now you just have to wait a moment for GitHub to work its magic.
1. After you click “Save”, the page will refresh. It can take **1-2 minutes** for GitHub to build and deploy your site for the first time.
2. After waiting a minute, **refresh the “Pages” settings page again**. At the top, you will see a green or blue box with a message saying: **“Your site is live at [your new URL]”**.
3. Click the link to see your website live on the internet!
The URL will be in the format: `https://your-username.github.io/your-repository-name/`
### **How to Update Your Website**
Updating your site is incredibly simple. Any time you push new changes (or upload new files) to your `main` branch, GitHub Pages will automatically see the changes, rebuild your site, and publish the updates. The changes will appear at the same URL within a few minutes.
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# If you have any suggestions or edits, please reply below.
# And if you found this helpful, a 👍 would be much appreciated!
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### Author:  [@ars18](https://jtechforums.org/u/ars18)
#### Post date: [September 9, 2025, 12:33am UTC](https://jtechforums.org/t/how-to-deploy-a-website-on-github-pages-for-free/4324/2 "2025-09-09T00:33:23Z")
Good guide. A good alternative is Cloudflare pages. I like it better for some reason.
Maybe add a part about custom domains?
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### Author:  [@Shalom\_Karr](https://jtechforums.org/u/Shalom_Karr)
#### Post date: [September 9, 2025, 12:49am UTC](https://jtechforums.org/t/how-to-deploy-a-website-on-github-pages-for-free/4324/3 "2025-09-09T00:49:28Z")
> [@ars18](#):
>
> Maybe add a part about custom domains?
> [@How to use a Custom Domain with GitHub Pages FREE (Not the Domain)](https://jtechforums.org/t/how-to-use-a-custom-domain-with-gthub-pages-free-not-the-domain/4327):
>
> How to Use a Custom Domain with GitHub Pages So you’ve deployed your website using GitHub Pages, and you have a URL like your-username.github.io/my-cool-project. That’s great! But what if you want it to be accessible at a professional domain you own, like my-cool-project.com or www.my-cool-project.com? This guide will walk you through the entire process of connecting a custom domain you’ve purchased to your GitHub Pages site. Prerequisites Before you begin, you need two things: A deployed G…
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### Author:  [@Shalom\_Karr](https://jtechforums.org/u/Shalom_Karr)
#### Post date: [September 9, 2025, 12:52am UTC](https://jtechforums.org/t/how-to-deploy-a-website-on-github-pages-for-free/4324/4 "2025-09-09T00:52:46Z")
> [@ars18](#):
>
> A good alternative is Cloudflare pages.
> [@How to Deploy a Website for FREE with Cloudflare Pages and add a Domain](https://jtechforums.org/t/how-to-deploy-a-website-for-free-with-cloudflare-pages-and-add-a-domain/4328):
>
> How to Deploy a Website for FREE with Cloudflare Pages While GitHub Pages is a fantastic option, another top-tier, free hosting service for developers is Cloudflare Pages. It’s known for its incredible speed, robust global network, and seamless integration with GitHub. This guide will walk you through deploying a project from your GitHub repository to Cloudflare Pages. Why Use Cloudflare Pages? Blazing Fast Speeds: Your site is served from Cloudflare’s massive global Edge Network, meaning it…