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GitHub Pages vs Google Sites: What are the differences?
GitHub Pages and Google Sites are both website hosting platforms that allow users to create and publish websites. While they share similarities in terms of providing website hosting services, there are several key differences between the two platforms.
Customizability: GitHub Pages offers more customization options compared to Google Sites. With GitHub Pages, users have full control over the website's design and structure, allowing them to create a unique and personalized website. On the other hand, Google Sites has limited customization options, making it more suitable for simple and basic websites.
Version Control: One major advantage of GitHub Pages is its integration with Git version control system. Users can easily track changes made to their website, collaborate with others, and revert to previous versions if needed. Google Sites, on the other hand, does not provide built-in version control, making it less suitable for projects that require frequent updates and collaboration.
Development Skills: GitHub Pages is better suited for users with coding and development skills. It allows users to create websites using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, giving them the freedom to design and build their website from scratch. Google Sites, on the other hand, is more beginner-friendly and does not require programming skills. It provides a simple drag-and-drop interface for users to create and edit websites.
Domain Options: GitHub Pages offers more flexibility when it comes to domain options. Users can choose to host their website under a custom domain or a subdomain, allowing for a more professional and branded website. Google Sites, on the other hand, only provides a subdomain under the sites.google.com domain, which may not be ideal for businesses or individuals looking for a more personalized domain.
Deployment Process: GitHub Pages requires users to manually deploy their website by pushing their code to a specific repository. This process may require some technical knowledge and can be more time-consuming. On the other hand, Google Sites provides a simpler and more streamlined deployment process, where users can instantly publish their website with just a few clicks.
Collaboration Features: GitHub Pages excels in collaboration features, as it allows multiple contributors to work on the same project simultaneously. It provides a platform for developers to collaborate, review code, and contribute to the website's development. Google Sites, on the other hand, is more focused on individual website creation and lacks advanced collaboration features.
In Summary, GitHub Pages offers more customization and flexibility, integrates with Git version control, requires coding skills, provides more domain options, requires manual deployment, and excels in collaboration features. Google Sites, on the other hand, is more user-friendly, offers simpler deployment, and is more suitable for basic website creation.
We use Netlify to host static websites.
The reasons for choosing Netlify over GitHub Pages are as follows:
- Netfily can bind multiple domain names, while GitHub Pages can only bind one domain name
- With Netfily, the original repository can be private, while GitHub Pages free tier requires the original repository to be public
In addition, in order to use CDN, we use Netlify DNS.
Pros of GitHub Pages
- Free290
- Right out of github217
- Quick to set up185
- Instant108
- Easy to learn107
- Great way of setting up your project's website58
- Widely used47
- Quick and easy41
- Great documentation37
- Super easy4
- Easy setup3
- Instant and fast Jekyll builds2
- Great customer support2
- Great integration2
Pros of Google Sites
- Works in Schools1
- Official Google Product1
- Free Partially Custom Domain1
- Easy Embedding of Websites1
- Free and Easy to Use1
- Seamless Google Drive Integration1
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Cons of GitHub Pages
- Not possible to perform HTTP redirects4
- Supports only Jekyll3
- Limited Jekyll plugins3
- Jekyll is bloated1