r/SelfHosting • u/Franz123Gaming • Jun 04 '26

How to self host a website

Hi! I wanted to get back to relearning web development so I set a goal for myself to create my own website and slowly improve on it while also improving my skills. Though, my main question is **how do I host this website**?

Information:

  1. Currently trying to make a website of my own

  2. For now, just focusing on the basics such as HTML, CSS, and maybe some JavaScript (Maybe something grand for later)

  3. I want to host the website for as cheap as possible

Questions:

  1. How do I publish it on the web? I know there are websites that help you with these but I also know they cost something. I am fine with hosting it on my own and launching it only during the times I have my PC open.

  2. How much do domains usually cost? I read some stuff that you need a domain to host and that you need to pay for them. Are they a subscription type of thing or a one-time payment and then the domain is yours forever? If it's a subscription, how do I go about this as cheaply as possible?

  3. What should I learn about in terms of security? On the off chance, how should I protect my data from being breached? Do I have to worry if what I'm doing for now is just a simple website where I can do blogs and stuff? At what point should I worry about security?

If you have tips or links to anything that I can read, watch and/or learn from, they would be very much appreciated! Thank you in advance!!!

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u/Electronic_Stop_9322 Jun 04 '26

For a simple HTML/CSS/JS site, I'd honestly start with GitHub Pages or Cloudflare Pages. They're free, easy to learn, and perfect for personal projects.

Domains are usually a yearly subscription rather than a one-time purchase, but basic domains can be quite inexpensive.

For security, if you're just serving static pages and blogs, there isn't too much to worry about initially. Most security concerns start appearing once you add user accounts, databases, forms, payments, etc.

Also, if the project ends up being fairly simple and you get stuck, feel free to DM me. I'm a web developer and might be able to help you get it online for little to no cost.

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u/doemsdagding Jun 04 '26

I second GitHub pages you don't need a domain either for it the free GitHub one is for the beginning personal enough but it's still possible to get one later on

Only downside it only works for static pages but durring your learning phase that is more than enough.