How to Host Your HTML, CSS & JS Website on GitHub Pages for Free — Step-by-Step Guide with Themes & Custom Domains

GitHub website
GitHub website

Dreaming of getting your personal portfolio, small business landing page, or side project online without spending a dime on hosting? Or maybe you want to publish a coded website for your school project or homework assignment. If your website is built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — a “static” website — then GitHub Pages is your golden ticket!

GitHub, known for collaborative coding and version control, offers a fantastic free hosting service for static sites. You can even use themes to style your site easily, and set up your own custom domain for a professional touch. While it involves a few extra steps compared to uploading files to a traditional web host, the benefits — like built-in version control, free HTTPS, and reliable performance — can make it worth the effort.

Let’s walk through exactly how to host your static website on GitHub Pages — including using themes and custom domains — step by step.

What is GitHub Pages?

GitHub Pages is a free static site hosting service offered by GitHub. It allows you to host your website directly from a GitHub repository. When you push changes to a designated branch (usually main or gh-pages), GitHub automatically builds and deploys your site, making your updates live within minutes.

💡 Note: A static website means it’s built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript only — no server-side code like PHP or databases.

Types of GitHub Pages Sites: User/Organization vs Project

GitHub Pages supports two types of sites:

  • User or Organization Site:
    You get one user or organization site per GitHub account or organization. This site must be hosted in a repository named exactly yourusername.github.io. Your entire site will live at
    https://yourusername.github.io/.
  • Project Site:
    You can create unlimited project sites under your account or organization. These are repositories with any name you choose. Project sites are hosted at
    https://yourusername.github.io/project-repo-name/.

Prerequisites: What You’ll Need

Before you start, make sure you have:

  • ✅ A GitHub account — sign up at github.com.
  • ✅ Git installed on your computer — download it from git-scm.com.
  • ✅ Your website files — HTML, CSS, JS, images, and other assets organized in one folder. Make sure your main page is named index.html.

Step-by-Step Guide to Hosting on GitHub Pages

Step 1: Create a New GitHub Repository

  1. Log in to GitHub.
  2. Click the New button (on the left sidebar or the “+” in the top right) and select New repository.
  3. Set a name for your repository:
    • For a User/Organization Site: Name the repo exactly yourusername.github.io (replace with your GitHub username).
    • For a Project Site: Use any name you like, e.g., my-project.
  4. Optionally, add a description.
  5. Choose Public (GitHub Pages is free only for public repos).
  6. Do not initialize with a README (we’ll push files manually).
  7. Click Create repository.

Step 2: Initialize Git and Add Your Website Files Locally

  1. Open Terminal (Mac/Linux) or Command Prompt (Windows).
  2. Navigate to your website folder: cd /path/to/your/website/folder
  3. Initialize a Git repository: git init
  4. Add your website files: git add .
  5. Commit the files: git commit -m "Initial commit: Add website files"

Step 3: Connect to GitHub and Push Your Files

  1. Go to your new GitHub repository page.
  2. Copy the HTTPS URL, which looks like:
    https://github.com/yourusername/your-repo-name.git
  3. Add the remote origin: bashCopyEditgit remote add origin https://github.com/yourusername/your-repo-name.git
  4. Rename the branch to main (if not already): git branch -M main
  5. Push your files: git push -u origin main

Your files will now be on GitHub!

Step 4: Enable GitHub Pages

  1. Go to your repository on GitHub.
  2. Click Settings (top nav).
  3. In the left sidebar, click Pages.
  4. Under Source, choose the branch (main) and folder (/root or /docs if your site files are in a subfolder).
  5. Click Save.
    GitHub will build and publish your site, usually within 5 minutes.

Step 5: Choose and Apply a Theme (Optional)

GitHub Pages supports built-in themes to style your site without much setup.

  1. In your repository, create a file called _config.yml.
  2. Add a theme line, for example: yamlCopyEdittheme: jekyll-theme-cayman
  3. Commit and push this file to your repository.
  4. Your site will refresh with the new theme applied.

You can explore more supported themes here.

Step 6: Access Your Live Website

  • User/Organization Site:
    Your site will be live at:
    https://yourusername.github.io/
  • Project Site:
    Your site will be live at:
    https://yourusername.github.io/your-repo-name/

You can also find the live URL in the GitHub Pages settings.

Optional: Set Up a Custom Domain

Want a custom domain like www.yoursite.com?

Both User/Organization sites and Project sites fully support custom domains, so you can personalize your website address regardless of the site type.

  1. In GitHub Pages settings, under Custom domain, enter your domain name.
  2. In your repository, create a CNAME file (uppercase, no file extension) with your domain name inside.
  3. Update your domain registrar’s DNS records:
    • For www.yoursite.com, add a CNAME record pointing www → yourusername.github.io.
    • For root domains (e.g., yoursite.com), add A records pointing to these GitHub IPs: 185.199.108.153 185.199.109.153 185.199.110.153 185.199.111.153

🕒 DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours.

Benefits of Using GitHub Pages

  • 💸 100% Free static site hosting
  • 🚀 Fast & reliable, backed by GitHub’s global CDN
  • 🔄 Version control with Git for easy updates and collaboration
  • 🔧 Simple deployment — just push your changes
  • 🌐 Support for custom domains
  • 🔒 HTTPS enabled by default via Let’s Encrypt

Limitations to Know

  • ❌ Static only — no server-side code like PHP, Python, or Node.js
  • 📏 Repository and build limits (usually 1 GB repo size, soft build time limits)
  • 🔒 Private sites require a paid GitHub plan

Let’s Recap

GitHub Pages is an amazing, cost-effective solution for developers, designers, and hobbyists who want to get a static website online fast. With built-in version control, instant deployments, free HTTPS, and support for themes and custom domains, it’s a free solution for portfolios, documentation, blogs, and simple web apps.

Give it a try — you might be surprised how quickly your site goes live!

If you want a traditional web hosting solution—with easy file uploads and full support for both static and dynamic sites—you can get started for under $5/month, with SSL included, through UltimateWB web hosting plans.

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Why Many WordPress Themes Leave You Scratching Your Head — And How to Avoid the Frustration

hard customizing WordPress theme, lack of documentation

Ever tried customizing a WordPress theme only to find your changes mysteriously ignored? Or spent hours figuring out which file controls that one annoying layout quirk? You’re not alone — and there’s a reason it feels so confusing.

Understanding the complexity behind WordPress themes (and how to choose better ones) can save you hours of frustration and keep your website looking exactly how you want it.

The Hidden Complexity Behind WordPress Theme Customization

WordPress themes range from clean, minimalist layouts to feature-packed frameworks overflowing with stylesheets, scripts, and templates. While this flexibility is powerful, it often leads to unexpected behavior.

Here’s what can make customizing a WordPress theme so frustrating:

  • The CSS file you edit might not be the one the theme is actually using.
  • Styles and scripts may be loaded only under certain conditions or injected with JavaScript.
  • Some design elements are customizable only through the WordPress Customizer, others require editing a child theme or diving into PHP.
  • Legacy code and complex logic can make the structure hard to follow.

The result? That quick “just edit style.css” approach turns into a time-consuming puzzle — even for experienced developers. It feels like it would be easier to hand-code the website from scratch.

The Documentation Gap: A Major WordPress Theme Weakness

A well-documented WordPress theme should answer key questions:

  • Which CSS and JS files are in use?
  • Where are the template files located, and how do they interact?
  • How are styles overridden?
  • What can you change via the Customizer versus code?
  • What common issues should you watch out for?

But in reality, many themes suffer from poor or missing documentation:

  • Outdated: Docs often don’t reflect the current theme version.
  • Too technical: Some are written only for developers, leaving users in the dark.
  • Restricted access: Helpful documentation may be hidden behind paywalls or locked in support forums.

Without clear guidance, even simple changes can become hours-long detective work.

Why This Keeps Happening

There are several reasons why WordPress theme documentation is often lacking:

  • Developer focus: Some themes are built for personal use or client work, not general public customization.
  • Complex tech stacks: Many modern themes integrate with page builders, plugins, and advanced layout frameworks.
  • No enforced standards: There’s no official requirement for WordPress themes to provide user-friendly documentation.
  • Legacy bloat: Older themes may carry outdated or conflicting code that complicates customization.

If a theme wasn’t built with clarity in mind, you’ll be stuck sorting through layers of cluttered code.

The Cost of Poorly Documented Themes

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced site owner, a confusing WordPress theme can waste your time and energy. Common side effects include:

  • 🔧 Frustration when changes don’t work as expected
  • ⌛ Wasted time reverse-engineering theme structure
  • 💸 Extra costs hiring developers to fix or customize the theme
  • 📉 Slower websites due to bloated or unoptimized code
  • 🚫 Poor SEO or accessibility when themes aren’t properly maintained

And worst of all, you may abandon a promising theme simply because it’s too hard to control.

How to Choose a WordPress Theme That Won’t Drive You Crazy

Before installing your next theme, keep these tips in mind:

✅ Choose themes with clear, recent documentation

Look for themes that include step-by-step customization guides — not just code references.

✅ Pick themes with active support and community

Responsive developers, public forums, and FAQs make a huge difference when you get stuck.

✅ Prioritize lightweight, well-coded themes

Themes like GeneratePress, Astra, or the default Twenty Twenty-Four are known for clean, modular code and good documentation.

✅ Check update logs and compatibility

Well-maintained themes are updated frequently to support the latest WordPress versions and plugins.

❌ Avoid themes that rely heavily on page builders

Unless you’re comfortable with Elementor or WPBakery, these themes add layers of abstraction that obscure styling and structure.

When Customization Feels Impossible

If you’re spending hours trying to tweak a theme with little success, ask yourself:

  • 🧩 Is this theme worth the effort?
  • 👨‍💻 Would hiring a developer save me time?
  • 🧱 Should I use a different platform or builder with more intuitive tools?

Sometimes the best move is to switch to a more user-friendly solution — especially if you want to focus on content, marketing, or growing your business instead of editing code.

The Bottom Line

WordPress is a powerful platform, but many themes come with a steep learning curve — especially when documentation is sparse or outdated. Choosing the right theme from the start can save you hours of frustration.

For best results, stick with themes that:

  • Are well-documented and maintained
  • Offer community support
  • Avoid unnecessary bloat or abstraction

If you’re tired of chasing down CSS overrides and broken layouts, you’re not alone. With the right tools and theme choices, customizing your WordPress site can be smooth, efficient, and even fun.

But if you’ve tried WordPress and still find it overwhelming, it might simply not be the best fit for your needs. There are other website builders that prioritize ease of use, intuitive design, and fast setup.

👉 Explore your options and compare platforms at ChooseWebsiteBuilder.com — a helpful resource with reviews of top-rated website builders, so you can find the one that truly works for you.

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Best Website Builder in 2025: Why We Recommend UltimateWB

best website builder 2025

If you’re building a website this year, you’ve got a lot of options. From popular platforms like WordPress and Wix to e-commerce builders like Shopify, there’s no shortage of tools promising to make the process easy. But when it comes to flexibility, built-in features, and control over your site, UltimateWB stands out in 2025 as the best website builder we’ve tested.

UltimateWB has long stood out for its performance and versatility, and in 2025, it’s continuing to lead the pack—with no signs of slowing down.

Here’s why it’s not just our top pick this year, but why it’s likely to stay on top.

It Has Everything Built In

One of the biggest frustrations with many website builders is having to install plugins or third-party apps just to get basic features like contact forms, blogs, social tools, or even a simple gallery.

UltimateWB skips all that. It includes a wide range of tools by default—blogs, forums, event calendars, membership systems, photo and video galleries, e-commerce with shopping carts, and more. You just turn on what you want from the control panel.

This all-in-one setup makes it much faster to build your site, and you’re not constantly worrying about plugin updates or compatibility issues.

You Can Add Custom Code, Without Risking Site Security

UltimateWB doesn’t give you full access to its core system files—and that’s actually a good thing. This helps protect your website from common security issues that can happen when core code is edited directly.

But it still gives you the ability to add or edit your own custom code—HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and even PHP—right from the admin panel. This means you get a lot of freedom to customize your site however you like, without putting its structure or stability at risk.

It’s a smart setup for developers, and it’s also safer for users who don’t want to worry about accidentally breaking something.

You Host It Yourself—and Own Everything

Unlike hosted builders like Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify, where your site lives on their platform and you’re tied to their system, UltimateWB is self-hosted. That means you can pick your own web host, move your site if you want, and you’re in full control of your files and data. Best of all, you fully own your website—no restrictions or lock-in.

If you prefer a hassle-free start, UltimateWB also offers its own hosting service with easy, free setup. Their hosting includes free SSL certificates, traffic stats, and custom email accounts, making it simple to get online fast without juggling multiple providers.

It’s the perfect choice for people who want true ownership of their website but still want the option of an easy hosting solution.

Fast, Secure, and Built to Scale

UltimateWB runs fast right out of the box because it’s not bogged down by unnecessary plugins or bloated code. It’s also secure, since everything is designed to work together without needing third-party tools that could introduce vulnerabilities.

Whether you’re building a small site or planning to grow into a large online community or e-commerce store, UltimateWB can handle it. It’s a solid choice for both beginners and experienced developers.

How It Stacks Up to Other Website Builders in 2025

FeatureUltimateWBWordPressWixShopifySquarespace
Features built-in✅ Yes❌ Needs plugins❌ Needs apps❌ Needs apps✅ Mostly built-in
Custom coding allowed✅ Safely add/edit✅ Full access⚠️ Limited⚠️ Limited⚠️ Limited
Secure by design✅ Core protected❌ Depends on setup⚠️ Closed system⚠️ Closed system⚠️ Closed system
Self-hosted✅ Yes✅ Optional❌ No❌ No❌ No
Scalable✅ Very scalable⚠️ With optimization❌ Not ideal⚠️ E-commerce only⚠️ Moderate
You own your site✅ Fully✅ With right host❌ No❌ No❌ No

Final Thoughts

If you want a website builder that doesn’t limit you, doesn’t nickel-and-dime you with apps, and doesn’t make you rely on dozens of plugins just to get started, UltimateWB is the clear choice in 2025.

It’s flexible, powerful, and gives you the ability to build just about any kind of website—while keeping control in your hands.

Check it out at UltimateWB.com to see what it can do.

Read our review for UltimateWB on ChooseWebsiteBuilder.com!

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Template Lock-In in Website Builders: Why You Can’t Switch Templates Without Rebuilding

Website builder template lock-in vs full design flexibility

When choosing a website builder, you’ll often come across feature lists filled with enticing terms like “easy-to-use,” “drag-and-drop design,” and “beautiful templates.” But buried in the fine print—often brushed off as a “minor con”—is one critical limitation: template switching.

Many popular website builders do not allow you to switch templates once your site is live without starting over. This isn’t just a small inconvenience—it can be a major hurdle depending on your goals and the future of your brand.

What Is Template Lock-In?

Template lock-in refers to a restriction that prevents users from changing their website’s template or theme after launch—at least not without losing design elements, structure, or content. If you want a new look, you may have to rebuild your entire site from scratch.

Which Website Builders Have Template Lock-In?

  • Squarespace (7.0): Switching templates means rebuilding from scratch. Version 7.1 improves flexibility but still lacks true design freedom.
  • Wix: Once your site is published, you cannot switch templates. You must start a new site and re-enter all content manually.
  • Shopify: You can technically switch themes, but layouts and content often need reformatting. Third-party theme customizations rarely carry over.
  • Weebly: Theme changes may disrupt your content layout and require reworking design elements.

In contrast, platforms like UltimateWB and self-hosted WordPress allow you to redesign your site without losing content or structure.

Why It’s a Bigger Deal Than You Think

1. Branding Evolves — Your Website Should Too

A design that looked modern three years ago might now feel dated. Without the ability to switch templates, you’re stuck patching your old design or rebuilding your site entirely.

2. Growth Demands Flexibility

As your site grows, you may need new features or layouts. Template lock-in restricts your ability to scale or reimagine your user experience.

3. It’s a Productivity Drain

Rebuilding your site involves re-uploading media, repositioning content blocks, and possibly rewriting content to match a new layout.

4. You Could Lose SEO & Data

Rebuilding may mean losing structured URLs, SEO metadata, and analytics data unless you plan the migration carefully.

What to Look For Instead

Ask these questions before choosing a builder:

  • Can I switch templates without rebuilding?
  • Will my content remain intact during redesign?
  • How easy is it to evolve my design over time?

UltimateWB and self-hosted WordPress give you long-term flexibility with minimal disruption.

Final Thoughts

Template lock-in may seem like a small issue when you’re just trying to get a site live. But later—when your needs evolve or your brand changes—it can become a major roadblock.

Choose a platform that grows with your vision, not against it.

🧩 Template Switching Comparison Table

Website BuilderCan You Switch Templates Easily?Notes
UltimateWB✅ YesFull design flexibility. Easily switch layouts or templates anytime.
WordPress (Self-Hosted)✅ YesThemes can be changed without losing content; may require minor tweaks.
Squarespace 7.0❌ NoChanging templates requires rebuilding your site from scratch.
Squarespace 7.1⚠️ PartiallyMore flexible but not true template switching; all sites share layout.
Wix❌ NoNo template switching after publishing—requires a new site.
Shopify⚠️ PartiallyYou can switch themes, but layout/content often needs rework.
Weebly⚠️ PartiallyCan switch themes, but may lose design formatting.

Get the details on each website builder via our reviews at ChooseWebsiteBuilder.com!

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Why Your WordPress Plugin Updates Might Be Missing After 6.8 (And How to Fix It)

broken plugin updates after WordPress upgrade

If you’re managing a WordPress site with premium or custom plugins, a recent update to WordPress core might be silently putting your site at risk. Starting with WordPress 6.8, a change in how plugin updates are processed is causing some websites to miss critical plugin update notifications—especially for plugins not hosted on the official WordPress.org repository.

This isn’t a widespread bug, but it is a subtle and potentially dangerous shift in core behavior that many site owners aren’t yet aware of.

🚨 What’s the Issue? A Quiet Change in WordPress 6.8

WordPress routinely checks for plugin updates by reaching out to the WordPress.org plugin repository. If new versions are available, they’re shown in your dashboard so you can update with a click.

But as of WordPress 6.8, there’s a new performance optimization in the way these checks are handled. Here’s what’s changed:

  • If WordPress checks for updates from WordPress.org and finds no updates, it exits the update-checking process early.
  • When this happens, the internal function that sets the update_plugins transient (the cache that stores available update info) is never called.

For most users relying solely on WordPress.org plugins, this isn’t a big deal. But for anyone using premium plugins, custom-built tools, or anything distributed outside the official repository—it’s a problem.

🔧 Why This Matters for Non-WordPress.org Plugins

Many third-party plugins hook into WordPress’s update-checking process to inject their own update information. If WordPress exits that process too early, these plugins never get the chance to do so.

That means:

  • No update notifications for premium plugins.
  • No visibility into new versions or important security patches.
  • Increased risk of bugs, compatibility issues, and vulnerabilities.

This behavior has existed in some form before, but WordPress 6.8 seems to have made the change more aggressive or more consistent, catching more developers and users off guard.

🛡️ What You Can Do to Protect Your Site

If your site depends on plugins not hosted on WordPress.org, it’s important to take proactive steps to make sure you’re not missing critical updates.

✅ 1. Stay Informed

Watch for announcements from premium plugin developers or authors. Many are now issuing advisories and patches or creating workarounds for this WordPress core behavior.

✅ 2. Manually Check Plugin Settings

Most premium plugins have their own update-check systems within the plugin’s settings panel or dashboard. Check them regularly.

✅ 3. Review Plugin Documentation

Make sure you understand how each of your third-party plugins handles updates—and what steps (if any) you should take to check for them manually.

✅ 4. Use a Staging Environment

Before updating anything live, test new plugin versions in a staging environment to ensure compatibility and prevent downtime.

🔍 How to Check If You’re Affected

Wondering if this is affecting your site?

  • Do you use plugins you purchased directly from a vendor or downloaded from outside WordPress.org?
  • Are those plugins suddenly not showing update notices—even though you know a new version was released?

If yes, this WordPress 6.8 behavior might be to blame.

🔄 Will This Be Fixed?

It’s unclear whether WordPress core will roll back or adjust this behavior. As it stands, the current behavior appears to be intentional, designed for performance optimization. That means the burden may fall on plugin developers to work around it—or for users to stay vigilant.

Time for a platform change? Check out our website builder reviews at ChooseWebsiteBuilder.com!

Related: WordPress: Navigating Uncertainty Amidst Growing Interest in Alternatives

When Giants Fall: What Movable Type’s Demise Teaches Us About WordPress’s Future

Forking WordPress: A Path to Stability or an Opportunity to Rebuild?

Mullenweg’s Grip On WordPress Challenged In New Court Filing

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