How Do I Make a Website With a Domain Name?

Hey Woojin,

This is probably the question I get asked the most: how do I actually get my site “online”?

The good news is that there many different ways you can get your site online.

Below are two popular ways to get your website online.

Option 1: Domain Name + Web Server + FTP

I like to buy my domains from name.com. (Namecheap is another popular option.) However, while name.com offers hosting, I host most of my sites (WordPress ones, like learntocodewith.me) on Bluehost.

A hosting provider basically gives you access to a server where you can store your website files.

Beyond a domain name and a server, you will also need a file transfer protocol (FTP) or similar. (I use CyberDuck.)

Basically, FTPs allow you to get your website files online by transmitting them between your computer and your web server.

For more info on getting your site online using this method, check out this video where I walkthrough how to get a WordPress site online using Bluehost.

All of this, minus the FTP, costs some money. However, you can easily buy a domain for less than $10 and there are some very affordable hosting options out there.

Option 2: Free (But Limited Customization)

If you’re looking for a free option, and have a static site, you can get your site online with Github using Github Pages. With a static site, though, you’re limited to using images, HTML, CSS, and client-side JavaScript (JS).

There are other free options, too. (Some quick googling will lead to results.)

But keep in mind that when something is free, the features are usually limited and you won’t be able to fully customize it. (And you may not even be able to have your own unique domain name.)

Here are some additional articles to check out:

• How to Build the Perfect Online Portfolio: includes some paid and free portfolio-making tools
• WordPress vs. Squarespace: explores two website-building platforms