Put Your Website Online (Easy): One-Click PaaS Deployment
💡 What does "putting a website online" mean? Also called "going live" or "deploying/publishing". A website you built on your own computer can only be opened by you. Putting it online means placing it on a server that runs 24/7, so anyone can type a URL in their browser and visit it — just like a Word doc only you can read becomes visible to everyone once you post it to a blog; the difference is that this time you're publishing a full website.
In this tutorial, we'll walk through the easiest way to get a site online — no server to buy, no DevOps to learn. Just connect your GitHub repo, click a few buttons, and your site is live. We cover four popular platforms: Tencent Cloud CloudBase, Vercel, Netlify, and Zeabur.
Why use a PaaS platform instead of setting up your own server?
You might wonder: if everything ends up "on a server," why not just buy your own server and deploy there? The answer: platforms handle all the messy parts for you.
If you deploy everything manually, a project usually involves many steps:
Prepare a server You first need to buy or rent a cloud server from a provider such as Alibaba Cloud, Tencent Cloud, or AWS EC2. Then you choose its region, CPU, memory, and storage, and learn how to connect to it remotely, often through SSH.
Configure the runtime environment Web apps only run under the correct environment. A Node.js project needs Node installed. A Python project needs Python and its dependencies. If the versions do not match, the app may fail to start.
Upload your files You need to move your local code and assets to the server, often via Git or file-transfer tools. Large projects can make this step frustrating if uploads break halfway through.
Start the service and test it After upload, you need to start the app and check whether the assigned address works. If not, the problem may be a firewall-blocked port, or it may be an application bug. In that case, you need to inspect logs.
Maintain and update Every code update usually means another upload and restart. If the server crashes, you may need to restart services manually or configure a process manager to keep them alive.
Platforms such as CloudBase, Vercel, Netlify, and Zeabur exist to eliminate much of that complexity. They automate the boring parts:
- buying and provisioning servers
- configuring runtimes
- pulling code
- starting services
- monitoring uptime
In many cases, you just connect a GitHub repository or upload your code, and the platform does the rest.
Deployment platform comparison
| Platform | Main strengths | Best for | Free tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tencent Cloud CloudBase | Fast access within mainland China, strong WeChat ecosystem integration | China-focused users, WeChat Mini Program support | Yes |
| Vercel | Excellent support for frontend frameworks, tight GitHub integration | Modern React/Vue/Next.js frontend projects | Yes |
| Netlify | Broad feature set, great Git workflow, form handling, auth support | Static sites that also need forms or auth | Yes |
| Zeabur | Flexible service combinations and many templates | More complex projects, including tools like Dify and n8n | About $5/month in free quota |
1. Tencent Cloud CloudBase
Tencent Cloud CloudBase is Tencent's integrated cloud backend platform and is especially friendly for developers targeting domestic Chinese users.
Its advantages include:
- Fast domestic access
- WeChat ecosystem integration
- An all-in-one backend solution including static hosting, cloud functions, databases, and storage
- A practical free tier
Deploy a web app with CloudBase
Step 1: Register and log in
Visit the Tencent Cloud CloudBase Console and log in with WeChat or QQ.
Step 2: Create an environment
Click Create Environment and choose an environment name such as my-web-app.
⚠️ Note: the free trial version of CloudBase often requires a redemption code. You usually need to follow the CloudBase official account and obtain a code there.
Step 3: Enable static website hosting
Inside the environment management screen, enable the Static Website Hosting feature. Once enabled, you will receive a default public domain.
CloudBase supports several deployment methods:
- upload a local build output
- deploy from a template
- deploy from a Git repository
Step 4: Deploy your code
CloudBase offers three main workflows:
Option 1: upload a local project
- choose
Local Project Deployment - upload your built static files such as HTML, CSS, and JS
- typically upload a
distorbuilddirectory
Option 2: use a template
- start from a preset project template
- common options include React and Vue starter templates
Option 3: deploy from Git
- connect a GitHub repository
- set the build command, such as
npm run build - every push can trigger an automatic redeploy
💡 Tip: you can also deploy from the command line:
bash# Install CloudBase CLI npm install -g @cloudbase/cli # Log in tcb login # Deploy tcb hosting deploy ./dist -e your-env-id
Step 5: Add a custom domain (optional)
CloudBase also supports binding your own domain and applying a free HTTPS certificate.
2. Vercel
Vercel is one of the most popular frontend deployment platforms in the world and is especially good for React, Vue, and Next.js projects.
Its main strengths:
- Deep GitHub integration
- Automatic preview deployments for pull requests
- Global CDN distribution
- Support for serverless functions
⚠️ Note: in some mainland-China network environments, Vercel may be less stable than domestic options such as CloudBase.
Deploy a web app with Vercel
Step 1: Register
Visit Vercel and sign in with GitHub.
Step 2: Import a project
- Click
Add New Project - Select the GitHub repository you want to deploy
- If needed, adjust GitHub app permissions
Step 3: Configure build settings
Vercel often detects the framework automatically:
| Framework | Build command | Output directory |
|---|---|---|
| React | npm run build | build |
| Vue | npm run build | dist |
| Next.js | next build | - |
| Plain HTML | - | project root |
If detection fails, configure it manually:
- Build Command
- Output Directory
- Install Command
Step 4: Deploy
Click Deploy and wait for the build to complete. A successful project receives a xxx.vercel.app domain.
Step 5: Add a custom domain (optional)
Use the Domains section in project settings to bind your own domain. HTTPS is handled automatically.
3. Netlify
Netlify is another strong frontend deployment platform, especially for static sites and single-page applications.
Its strengths:
- Feature-rich hosting, including form handling, auth, and edge/serverless functions
- Strong Git integration
- Preview links for branches
- Global CDN
- Built-in form handling
- Built-in user authentication tools
⚠️ Note: Netlify may not be as fast as CloudBase for domestic Chinese users.
Deploy a web app with Netlify
Step 1: Register
Visit Netlify and sign up with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, or email.
Step 2: Import a project
- Click
Add new site→Import an existing project - Choose your Git provider
- Authorize Netlify
- Select the repository
Step 3: Configure build settings
| Framework | Build command | Publish directory |
|---|---|---|
| React | npm run build | build |
| Vue | npm run build | dist |