Deploy Anywhere

Why Export Your Site?

• Ownership: You own all your files
• Portability: Run on any server, anywhere
• No Lock-in: Switch hosts anytime
• Archival: Keep a permanent local backup you can upload back into the builder
• Browser Recovery: Restore your project if browser storage gets cleared
• Custom Hosting: Use your preferred provider

Step 1: Export Your Site

1. Open your project in the Site Builder
2. Click Download ZIP in the top toolbar
3. A ZIP file downloads with all your site files and builder project data
4. Extract the ZIP to a folder

For backup or transfer, keep the ZIP intact instead of extracting and editing it. From the builder dashboard, choose Upload Existing Site and upload the ZIP to restore the editable project in this browser or another browser.

What's Included?

• HTML Pages: index.html, about.html, etc.
• CSS/JS: All styles and scripts
• Images: All your media files
• .htaccess: Optional server config

Step 2: Choose a Hosting Provider

Popular options for static sites:

Step 3: Upload Your Files

Option A: Drag & Drop

1. Login to your host (Netlify, Vercel, etc.)
2. Drag your site folder onto the upload area
3. Done! Live in seconds

Option B: Git/GitHub

1. Push files to GitHub
2. Connect your host to GitHub
3. Automatic deployments on push

Option C: FTP/SFTP

1. Get FTP credentials from your host
2. Use FTP client (Filezilla, Cyberduck)
3. Upload to public_html/ folder

Step 4: Connect Your Domain

If You Have a Domain:

1. Get DNS records from your host
2. Login to your domain registrar
3. Update DNS records
4. Wait 5-48 hours for propagation

If You Need a Domain:

1. Buy from registrar (Namecheap, GoDaddy, etc.)
2. Configure DNS to point to your host
3. Many hosts sell domains bundled cheaper

Post-Deployment Checklist

• All pages load correctly
• Links work (no 404 errors)
• Images display
• Mobile-responsive
• Forms work (if applicable)
• HTTPS enabled
• Performance tested

Performance Optimization

Image Optimization

• Compress images (TinyPNG, Squoosh)
• Use modern formats (WebP)
• Resize to appropriate dimensions

Caching & CDN

• Enable browser caching
• Use CDN if available
• Minify CSS/JS (builder should do this)

SEO for Self-Hosted Sites

• Create sitemap.xml
• Create robots.txt
• Submit to Google Search Console
• Verify all pages are indexable

Sample robots.txt:

Updating Your Site

1. Make changes in Site Builder
2. Export your updated site
3. Upload new files to your host
4. Your site updates automatically

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