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You can build and publish a useful first website with a few HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files—though a simple informational site may not need JavaScript at all. Start with one clear purpose, make the page readable on different screens, and publish the finished static files through GitHub Pages. You do not need to buy a domain to begin.
Choose a small first website
Pick one purpose: for example, a personal introduction, a small portfolio, or an informational page. A first project is easier to finish when it contains only what visitors need. MDN’s beginner module recommends starting small and notes, “It’s not hard to make your own simple website online, so we’ll start there.” MDN’s first-website guide walks through the basic process.
Gather the content before coding
Write the text and collect any images you plan to use. Sketch the page or pages on paper, deciding what visitors should see first and how they will move between sections. You might begin with a single page; if you need separate topics, add a few clearly named pages rather than trying to build a large site at once.
Build the page with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Use HTML for structure and content
HTML describes the content and structure of a page: headings, paragraphs, links, images, and other elements. Save the page as an HTML file, such as index.html, and put the material you planned into a sensible order.
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Use CSS for presentation
CSS controls how the HTML looks, including spacing, colors, text styles, and layout. Keep the first design legible and straightforward. Separate CSS into a file such as style.css, then connect it to the HTML page so you can revise the appearance without rewriting the content structure.
Add JavaScript only when the site needs behavior
JavaScript can add interactions, such as responding to a button click. It is optional for a basic informational page. Leave it out until you can name a specific behavior the site needs; this keeps the first version simpler to build and troubleshoot.
Preview and revise before publishing
Open the HTML file in a browser to see what visitors will see. MDN’s first-website module assumes you have a code editor and a browser, and recommends checking work across browsers. Also narrow the browser window or check on a phone-sized screen: this practical check can reveal text or layouts that are hard to use on small screens.
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- Follow every link and confirm it goes to the right place.
- Look for text that is too small, crowded, or difficult to read.
- Make sure images display as intended and do not overwhelm the page.
Make a change, refresh the browser, and check again. Fix content and layout problems before adding more features.
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Publish a static site with GitHub Pages
For a site made from files such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, GitHub Pages offers a way to publish from a GitHub repository. It serves static site files; it is not a general-purpose backend for running arbitrary server-side code. GitHub Pages can publish at a github.io address, and it also supports using a custom domain. See GitHub’s overview of GitHub Pages for its capabilities and limits.
- Put the site files in a GitHub repository. Include the HTML page and any CSS, JavaScript, or image files it uses.
- Open the repository’s Pages settings. Choose the publishing source and branch or build process appropriate to the repository, following the available settings shown by GitHub.
- Publish and check the resulting address. Once Pages has published the files, open the provided
github.ioaddress and confirm the page and its linked assets load correctly.
GitHub Pages can optionally run a build process, but a small site can be published as static files. If the feature you want depends on a server-side process, you will need a separate solution for that feature.
Decide whether WordPress fits better
Hand-coding is a useful route if your goal is to learn web fundamentals or maintain a small site by editing files. WordPress is a different workflow: it provides a content-management system for managing pages and posts. WordPress’s setup guidance distinguishes the host, where site content lives, from the domain, the address visitors use. Its page system also lets you organize pages and subpages, while templates use database information to generate requested pages. See WordPress Learn’s setup course and WordPress’s documentation on pages.
| Choice | Good fit | What you take on |
|---|---|---|
| Hand-coded static site with GitHub Pages | Learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript; a portfolio or informational site that can be served as files | Writing and updating the files, using a repository and Pages publishing settings, and finding a separate solution for backend-dependent features |
| WordPress | Managing pages and posts through a content-management interface | Choosing a host and address, then learning WordPress’s content and page workflow |
Neither route is right for every first site. Choose based on whether learning to work with code or managing content through WordPress matters more to you, whether you need server-side behavior, and how much setup you want to handle.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Understand hosting and domains before paying
Hosting is where a website’s files or content are made available; a domain is the address visitors type or follow to reach it. They are separate decisions. For a first static site, you can publish using a service-provided address such as GitHub Pages’ github.io address and consider a personal domain later. MDN also documents free publishing options in its publishing guidance.
If you choose WordPress, plan for the hosting and address decisions as part of setup. If you choose GitHub Pages for static files, you can start without purchasing a domain. A custom domain is optional, not a prerequisite for learning or publishing a first site.
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