In today’s digital landscape, having a strong online presence is essential. From purchasing a domain name to deploying your website, understanding the end-to-end process is crucial. In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the entire journey of building and deploying a website, starting with domain name configuration and culminating in website deployment.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Domain Name Registration and DNS Configuration
3. Creating the Website
4. Styling and Structuring with HTML and CSS
5. Adding Interactivity with JavaScript
6. Website Hosting and Deployment
7. Conclusion

1. Introduction

Before we dive in, let’s understand the components of the process. We’ll begin by registering a domain name and configuring its DNS settings. Next, we’ll create a website using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Finally, we’ll explore how to host and deploy the website for the world to see.

2. Domain Name Registration and DNS Configuration

A domain name is your website’s address on the internet. To get started, follow these steps:

1. Choose a Domain Name: Select a unique and memorable domain name that represents your website. e.g. something like abc.com, provided that the domain name is available on the ICANN registry : ICANN database (https://lookup.icann.org/en)
2. Register the Domain: Use a domain registrar like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Google Domains to register your chosen domain name. It is a simple process which needs a sign up at the registrar website and a payment to reserve your domain name.
3. Configure DNS Settings: In your domain registrar’s settings, configure DNS records like A records (pointing to your website’s IP address) and CNAME records (for subdomains). To be specific, you can derive the website IP address from your server/hosting provider you’re using and use that to configure the DNS entries in the registrar site. To save all these hassle, you may use a hosting provider who can handle both ends automatically.

3. Building the Website

With the domain name set up, it’s time to create your website’s content:

1. Folder Structure: Create a project folder containing HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and any other assets.
2. HTML Skeleton: In your HTML file, start with the basic structure outlined in the previous blog post.

4. Styling and Structuring with HTML and CSS

Now, let’s enhance the appearance of your website:

1. CSS Styling: Use CSS to style your website’s elements. You can follow the example provided in the previous blog post.
2. Layout and Structure: Organize your content into sections using HTML5 semantic elements like <header>, <nav>, <main>, and <footer>.

5. Adding Interactivity with JavaScript

To make your website interactive, consider adding JavaScript functionality:

1. Script Tag: Add a <script> tag in your HTML to link your JavaScript file.
2. Interactive Elements: Use JavaScript to create interactive features like forms, image sliders, or dynamic content loading.

6. Website Hosting and Deployment

With your website ready, it’s time to share it with the world:

1. Choose a Hosting Provider: Opt for a hosting provider like Netlify, GitHub Pages, or AWS that suits your needs.
2. Upload Files: For static websites, upload your HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and assets to the hosting server.
3. Configure Domain: Connect your domain name to your hosting provider by updating DNS records.
4. HTTPS: Enable HTTPS for secure browsing using SSL certificates provided by the hosting platform.

7. Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve completed the journey of building and deploying a website from scratch. You’ve learned how to register a domain name, configure DNS settings, create content using HTML, style it with CSS, add interactivity with JavaScript, and finally, host and deploy your website for the world to access.

Remember, this is just the beginning of your web development journey. You can further enhance your skills by exploring advanced front-end and back-end technologies, content management systems, and e-commerce integration. Keep learning, experimenting, and refining your website-building skills. Happy coding!