How to Build a Personal Website
There are a multitude of reasons to create a personal website. Whether you want to showcase your portfolio, highlight personal projects, or simply have fun, building a site can be a rewarding experience. To many, building a website may feel like a daunting task, especially if they have limited coding experience. While having familiarity with code is undeniably a prerequisite to a project like this, you do not have to be an expert to get started.
I've put together a straightforward, step-by-step guide to help you build your own site. Keep in mind, there are many ways to approach this process, and this guide reflects the method I used for my own site. Feel free to get creative and explore different avenues—there's no one right way to do it!
1. Develop understanding of basic HTML, CSS, & Javascript
As mentioned earlier, having a foundational grasp of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is highly recommended before starting this process. YouTube has many great videos breaking down the basics and there are countless online courses to get deeper into the concepts. Generally, it's advised to start with HTML, then move on to CSS, and only tackle JavaScript once you're comfortable with the first two. This sequence will help you grasp the basics more effectively and set you up for success as you progress. I like to think of it like this: HTML structures your content, CSS styles it, and JavaScript makes it interactive.
2. Plan Site
Once you feel comfortable with the specified languages, or if you already have a solid understanding, you can now begin planning your site. Having a general outline before diving into development is crucial, as it simplifies the entire process. For instance, when I was planning this site, I sketched out a rough design on paper. After a few revisions, I ended up with a finalized version that was ready to build. The planning step is a great opportunity for you to get creative and determine your goals before writing a line of code.
3. Build Site
With a solid plan in place, it’s time to dive into development. I recommend using an IDE like Visual Studio Code to manage your project files. While there are various tools available, VS Code is particularly advantageous because it offers an HTML preview extension. This feature allows you to view your HTML code’s output in real time, making the initial editing process more efficient and straightforward.
From this point, you have full creative control to make your website as simple or detailed as you would like. For those starting out, I find ChatGPT to be a valuable resource for building skeleton code and refining mistakes early on. However, it’s important to thoroughly understand each output and be able to spot errors, as ChatGPT may not always be accurate, especially with more complex requests.
If any additional questions arise while building your website, never hesitate to search the web for answers. Chances are someone else has run into the same problem before. Remember, the development phase is meant to be fun, so embrace the creativity and use it as an opportunity to learn and grow as you build your website.
4. Purchase Domain
Before your website can become a reality, you’ll need to purchase a domain name. While there are many registrars available, I highly recommend using Cloudflare. Their platform simplifies the purchasing process and offers competitive pricing.
When selecting a domain, aim for one that closely reflects your name, especially for a personal site. I also suggest opting for a .com extension, as it tends to convey a more professional image. However, feel free to choose the domain name and extension that best suits your preferences and goals.
5. Host Website
Aside from development, determining the right hosting service can be the most challenging aspect of this process. Fortunately, there are numerous hosting options available, many of which are free. I found the best of which to be Cloudflare Pages, as it is free of cost and seamlessly links to your Cloudflare purchased domain. After setting up a pages application you can then easily upload and deploy your website files.
6. Deployment
Finally, your site is ready to be deployed. Ensure the HTML file for your desired home page is titled index.html, then save all your files and add them to a single zip file. You can now upload your zip file to Cloudflare Pages and then click save and deploy. After a few seconds your site will be ready to view on the web!
7. Review & Mantain
Now that your site is live, it’s crucial to ensure that no errors have slipped through the cracks of your initial quality checks. Carefully review all links and verify that every feature functions as intended. If everything looks good and operates smoothly, congratulations—your website is ready to be shared!
Thank you for reading my first blog post! While I can’t claim to be an expert in site building, I wanted to share my experiences to create a straightforward guide on the process. Throughout my journey I struggled to find all the needed information in one place written in simple language, so I decided to consolidate what I’ve learned in the most straightforward way possible. I hope this guide is helpful and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!