Push WordPress to GitHub & Static Hosting with Simply Static Pro

#cloudflare #staticwebsite #simplystatic #wordpress #hosting #bricksbuilder
If you ever want to have a website on your Local WP but want it hosted for free on static hosting, check this out.
What you need:
-Simply Static PRO (to push changes to Git repo)
-Free Github account (need repository to build the static site from)
-Free Cloudflare Account - somewhere that can static host
Deploy by: ZIP, local directory, GitHub (GitHub Pages, Cloudflare Pages, Netlify..), Amazon AWS S3, Digital Ocean Spaces, BunnyCDN or via SFTP
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🌟 Brendan O’Connell 🌟
🎨 WordPress | Design | Development | Automation | Tech 🖥️
Want to connect or work together?
🌐 Website: brendan-oconne...
🐦 Twitter: / brendanocwp
🔗 LinkedIn: / brendan-o-connell1
☕ Buy Me a Coffee (or Tacos): buymeacoffee.com/brendanoconnell
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Get Frames: getframes.io/r...

[@dynamic-homepages]

Thanks for the Video. One more step to understand it better 👍🎉

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

Hope it helps, let me know if you get stuck

[@wpeasy]

Thanks for another great video, Brendan. I have looked at a number of options in the past for serving static pages for WP sites. In each case, there are limitations. The only real benefit I can think of is that WP is not live, so can't be compromised. Apart from that, with fast hosting and good caching, I really don't see the benefit. I would love to hear your thoughts on use cases where this would be a significant benefit.

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

I think you've hit the high points - no back end, and thus can't really be hacked. I was lucky to not have a single site hit with the Bricks hack earlier in the year, but got me thinking about lots of sites we have that we are the only ones who update them, client never logs in, rarely asks for updates, and just needs a contact form - prime candidates for static hosting and not have them be potential attack vectors! Another thing is older clients looking for a way to ensure their website is up after their passing without much ongoing cost/work. As far as ACTUAL production benefits, I do not work much with enterprise clients where this might be deployed. And even then, there is more than likely a locked-down subdomain where clients can edit and then have it version controlled onto prod through something like Pantheon hosting. But similar idea to the workflow. CMS->Git->Static Hosting with dev/test/prod environs. I think for the average person, this is a good way to offload personal or client sites that rarely get updated and obviously don't need ecom/LMS/etc features.

[@wpeasy]

@@BrendanOConnellWP Yeah, I'm not sure. It also adds cost and a different workflow. I didn't get any Bricks sites hacked either. In fact, I have not had a single WP Site hacked since I started care plans with hosting 2 years ago, and building 18 months ago. I have good server security, strict plugin policies, regular automated site updates, and good vulnerability monitoring. If the client doesn't want our services, the site is no longer our issue :) That said, there are a lot of different client types, with different needs. So for those who just want static sites that don't change often, this could be a good solution. TBH, they are not the type of client that I want to work with. For someone who wants to target this type of client, it could be a good marketing point of difference ??

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

@@wpeasy I'm with you on all the points you mentioned! For me it's a tool I have to offload some older sites, and as a niche usecase for some sites. Other than that, yes, I am in the business of building meaningful, growing web projects with regular updates, multiple stake holders, different editor roles, etc where this workflow doesnt make any sense. I also have never had a WP site hacked (knock on wood, if you read this as a hacker, thank you) I am certainly not suggesting everyone go out and make all your sites static and perhaps need an additional disclaimer in videos like this...I am glad you are looking at it from a "Does this make me or my client money perspective" because sometimes we forget that or it is a vague 'it just does' as we test tools.

[@visualmodo]

Very good work!!!

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@peterwyro9365]

Thank you. Very helpful.

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

Glad it helped. Thanks for watching

[@peterwyro9365]

@@BrendanOConnellWP Question: After you develop a site and deploy it from your local install, do you create a working wordpress version in the cloud so that other people can log in and add content or do other modifications and then deploy the static site, as you are doing from the local install?

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

@@peterwyro9365 In that situation, no, Local wouldn't help. But you can have users/editors log into a locked down temp URL/subdomain that then has the Gitdeploy to the static site, so that way you can control access to for editors and the front end is headless. Also something like Pantheon Hosting would be useful there, as there are 3 layers of test, dev and live environs that can be be accessed by cloud and git

[@robertoalexandru00]

One question, the sliders don't work? I mean, a page I have, has 1 slider of 3 images, when I export it with Simply Static Pro and follow the same steps, they appear one below the other and I am not finding any solution regarding this ....

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

Hard to say. Is it not exporting the required JS? Check JS defer/delay/min. how/where are you deploying it? Also write to Simply Static support, they can maybe help!

[@techiesreviews]

Amazing video on how to get started with simply static. Do you see yourself using this in the future as well? Secondly, I assume things like search, woocommerce filters etc won't work. So this would be for 'basic' brochure websites.

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

in simply static pro there are additional features you can add, like Search. Filters might work (they do in Bricks) but you can't actually check out in ecom on a static site without further config and knowledge. this works best for sites that have content and a contact form - not LMS/ecom - but it does support dynamic content, in that custom posts and templates work.

[@JulianSong]

Thank you so much!

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

No worries, hope it helped

[@1anchit]

Thank you for this. Also, i am new to this github thing - For public repository, wont the people be able to copy the code of static website? Should be kept private i believe? I believe from browser anyway it can be copied

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

Yes you can mark them as private. People can already copy most of a websites code when it's publically available already, but yes it is probably best practice to mark that as private unless you know exactly what you're doing

[@michaelfoerster3364]

Great video, the issue is with file sizes, if you have e.g. video files, then github deployment not working. We tried sftp deployment but on our end also not working. Can you try sftp deployment - does it work for you?

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

I have a site with video i am about to test. Does Git not allow larger video files? I am not sure how Cloudflare handles it. They might not allow it. Have you tried BunnyCDN? Them being Bunny would make me think the videos would be a priority for them. I also see free github only allowed 10mb upload, but paid allowed 100mb? maybe that will help you

[@michaelfoerster3364]

@@BrendanOConnellWP yep bcs of that size limit i thought the best is to go with sftp and host it on our own server but on our end sftp not working...

[@Epirium]

WTF is that pricing bruh, it's just minifying html, css, js and serving it, RIP in advance for the users who are paying for simply static lol 😂

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

yeah current pricing on their website seems high to me. its currently on appsumo for the next or so, ive had the ltd for a few months so it's paid for itself 10x TBH.

[@Epirium]

@@BrendanOConnellWP Thanks for letting me know about appsumo

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

no worries. you know how Appsumo can be, but sometimes theres gems. if you dont have any automation tools, activepieces has been solid for me and theres a few vids i have on automating stuff including WP

[@PromovareUTOPIAN]

Any tutorial on how to do this for free?

[@BrendanOConnellWP]

i have another video on simply static earlier this year. I use the free version of simply static and free form solution to do the same process. however, do get the direct github connection I showed in this video requires simply static pro (or some other tool)