š What is Netlify?
Netlify is a cloud platform that makes it super easy to deploy, host, and manage modern web projects, especially those built with JAMstack (JavaScript, APIs, and Markup) technologies.
ā Itās ideal for static sites, SPAs, and frontend frameworks like React, Vue, Svelte, and Next.js.
š Key Features of Netlify
Feature | Description |
---|---|
š Continuous Deployment | Auto-deploys from GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket |
š Global CDN Hosting | Fast page loads with worldwide content delivery |
š§Ŗ Serverless Functions | Run backend code without servers (like AWS Lambda) |
āļø Forms Handling | Built-in support for HTML forms |
š”ļø Free SSL & HTTPS | Auto-secured domains with Letās Encrypt |
š Instant Rollbacks | Restore any previous deployment with one click |
š Split Testing | Test A/B versions of your site |
š Custom Domains | Use your own domain with easy setup |
Ā
āļø How to Deploy a Site to Netlify (Step-by-Step)
ā Option 1: One-Click GitHub Deployment
Push your site to a GitHub repository
Go to https://app.netlify.com
Click āAdd New Siteā ā āImport from Gitā
Connect your GitHub repo
Set build command (e.g.
npm run build
) & publish directory (dist
orbuild
)Click Deploy š
ā Option 2: Drag-and-Drop
Run
npm run build
(or equivalent)Zip your build folder
Drag and drop it into https://app.netlify.com/drop
š§ Example Build Commands (by Framework)
Framework | Build Command | Publish Folder |
---|---|---|
React (CRA) | npm run build | build/ |
Vue (CLI) | npm run build | dist/ |
SvelteKit | npm run build | .svelte-kit/output (or use adapter) |
Next.js | npm run build && npm run export | out/ |
Astro | npm run build | dist/ |
Hugo | hugo | public/ |
Ā
š§ Netlify vs Alternatives
Feature | Netlify | Vercel | GitHub Pages |
---|---|---|---|
Best For | JAMstack, static + serverless | Next.js, React | Static HTML |
Serverless Functions | ā Yes | ā Yes | ā No |
Build from Git | ā Yes | ā Yes | ā Yes |
Free Tier | ā Great | ā Great | ā Basic |
Custom Domains | ā Yes | ā Yes | ā Yes |
Form Handling | ā Built-in | ā | ā |
Ā
š§° When to Use Netlify
Use Case | Netlify? |
---|---|
Static websites / portfolios | ā Excellent |
JAMstack projects (React, Vue, Svelte) | ā Perfect |
eCommerce frontend with APIs | ā Yes |
Full-stack SSR apps (e.g., Next.js SSR) | š” Possible but limited |
Backend-heavy apps | ā Use Vercel / Render / Heroku / Node server |
Ā
š Learn Netlify
š Official Site
š Netlify Docs