This is an entry level tutorial about creating and hosting a website.
Domain
In order for other people to find your website you'll need to purchase a domain name for them to enter into their browser's address bar. Example: Steemit.com
I recommend Google Domains or Dynadot.
Decisions Decisions
Google Domains offers free WHOIS protection but Dynadot doesn't. Dynadot lets you checkout using PayPal but Google Domains doesn't. The domain registrar you choose depends on your unique circumstances.
What is WHOIS protection?
When you register a domain name you give the domain registrar your name, email, phone number, address, and other personal information. If you don't have WHOIS protection that information can easily be searched by other people.
Say No To Discounts
You'll probably come across 99 cent domain name offers, but in most cases those should be avoided. Domain names must be renewed annually, and those 99 cent domains tend to be really expensive when it's time to renew them.
It's best to buy a domain name that isn't heavily discounted, so that the price doesn't drastically change when it's time to renew it.
Hosting
People can't view your website if you don't have a web server. Your web server stores all of your website's files, and also serves those files to people who visit your domain name.
Hands down I recommend NodeHost.
Before continuing this tutorial register a NodeHost account using this link. This link will give you $5 worth of account credit for free. That's enough to host your website for 125 days.
Yup. It only costs a couple cents daily to host a website!
Website
Now that we've got all that out of the way we can focus on uploading our website.
- Login to your NodeHost account at https://cloud.nodehost.ca
- Click "Launch a new site"
- Click whatever server is closest to you. I picked N5
- Pick the $0.04 a day plan. It's silly to start off with more resources than you need. Your plan will automatically upgrade to the $0.08 one (and so on) if you exceed the limits of that plan.
- Click the domain button
- Click "Add Domain"
- Enter whatever domain name you bought and tap submit
- go to your domain registrar's DNS manager and create 2 A records. Point @ and www to 138.197.192.208 (I can help you with this step in comments)
- Now go back
- Tap SFTP info (it'll show your login details)
SFTP is what we use for uploading our website!
In a later tutorial I'll tell you how to create a nice website. For now navigate to /web/mydomain.com/public_html and replace index.html's content with:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Title of the document</title>
</head>
<body>
Content of the document......
</body>
</html>
Now What?
Your website is ugly!
Check out W3Schools for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript tutorials.
In a future tutorial I'll help you make a better website. What we've accomplished in this tutorial is buying a domain name and website hosting.