Did you know you can host a complete, professional-looking website on GitHub without spending a single dollar? It’s true. GitHub Pages is a free hosting service that turns any repository with static files into a live website, complete with a secure HTTPS connection .
And when you pair it with a free, high-quality HTML template from TemplatesJungle.com, you can get a stunning site online in just a few minutes. Here’s exactly how.
Why Choose GitHub Pages?
It’s a perfect solution for personal portfolios, project documentation, landing pages, and simple business websites . Here’s why it works so well:
- It’s 100% free: No hidden charges or trial periods .
- Automatic deployment: Your site updates automatically every time you push changes to your repository .
- Secure by default: Your site is served with a free SSL certificate for HTTPS .
Step 1: Find the Perfect Template at TemplatesJungle
Before you can host a website, you need a website to host. TemplatesJungle offers a huge collection of free, modern HTML templates that are easy to customize and perfect for any project .
What You’ll Find
From their collection, you can find professionally designed templates for nearly any need:
How to Choose One
- Visit TemplatesJungle.com.
- Browse their categories or search for your specific industry.
- Preview a template’s live demo to see it in action.
- Look for key features: 100% customizable, responsive and mobile-friendly, and free for both personal and commercial use .
- Click Download to get the ZIP file containing the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files.
A Quick Customization Step
Before you upload, you can make the template your own. Open the .html files in a free code editor like Visual Studio Code, and change the text, images, and colors. The code in TemplatesJungle templates is clean and well-organized, making this surprisingly easy .
Step 2: Create Your GitHub Repository
Now you need a place on GitHub to store your files. If you don’t have an account yet, go to github.com and sign up for free. Your username is important—it will become part of your website’s address .
Once logged in:
- Click the green “New” button to create a new repository.
- Name your repository exactly
yourusername.github.io, replacingyourusernamewith your actual GitHub username . - Make sure the repository is set to Public.
- Click “Create repository” .
Important: The repository name must be exact. If your username is
janedoe, you must name itjanedoe.github.io. This is what creates your main site athttps://janedoe.github.io.
Step 3: Upload Your Template Files
Now you’ll add your TemplateJungle files to this new repository.
Method A: Upload Directly (Easiest)
- On your new repository page, click the “Add file” dropdown and select “Upload files”.
- Drag and drop your entire template folder from your computer onto the browser window.
- In the “Commit changes” section at the bottom, add a description like “Initial upload”.
- Click the green “Commit changes” button .
Method B: Upload from Command Line (For Future Updates)
If you plan to make frequent updates and are comfortable with the command line:
- Clone the repository to your computer with
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/yourusername.github.io.git. - Copy all your template files into the folder on your computer.
- Stage and push your changes:bashgit add -A git commit -m “Initial site” git push origin main
Step 4: Enable GitHub Pages
With your files uploaded, you just need to tell GitHub to publish them.
- In your repository, click the “Settings” tab.
- In the left-hand menu, click “Pages” under the “Code and automation” section .
- Under “Branch”, select the
mainbranch and the/ (root)folder. - Click “Save” .
Step 5: Visit Your Live Website
GitHub takes about 1 to 3 minutes to build and publish your site . After a short wait, you’ll see a green banner at the top of the Pages settings page with your live URL.
Open a browser and go to https://yourusername.github.io to see your new website live on the internet!
Updating Your Site
Making changes is just as simple. Edit your files in your repository on GitHub (or make changes locally and push them). Your website will update automatically in about 1 to 2 minutes after every commit .
Adding a Custom Domain (Optional)
If you don’t want a github.io address, you can use your own domain :
- In your repository settings, go to Pages and enter your domain under “Custom domain” .
- Add a
CNAMEfile to the root of your repository with your domain name . - Configure your DNS records with your domain provider: add an
Arecord pointing to GitHub’s IP addresses or aCNAMErecord for subdomains .
Success Story: A Six-Figure Business on Free Tools
One jewelry brand founder built a six-figure business using a free HTML template from TemplatesJungle. They chose a template that was:
- Beautiful on mobile (where 80% of their traffic came from)
- Completely customizable to match their brand
- Free for commercial use
They used TemplatesJungle, Netlify, Canva, and VS Code—all free resources—to build a complete, thriving business website. Your website is your digital storefront, and with tools like these, you can create one that looks professional and works hard for you.
Recap: Your Website is Live in Minutes!
Here’s what you’ve accomplished:
- Found a stunning, free HTML template from TemplatesJungle.com.
- Created a free GitHub account and repository.
- Uploaded your template files to the repository.
- Enabled GitHub Pages to publish your site.
- Visited your live website online.
Once this setup is done, publishing updates becomes effortless. You focus on building your business or portfolio, and GitHub Pages handles the rest.
Ready to launch your website? Browse the collection of 150+ free Bootstrap templates at TemplatesJungle.com and start building your online presence today—completely free .
