How to Share Your Hashtag Generator with the World

Once you've completed your Instagram Hashtag Generator, it's time to make it available to the world by hosting it online.

GitHub Pages is an excellent free option for hosting static websites (HTML, CSS, JavaScript). This guide will walk you through setting up a GitHub account, uploading your project, and activating GitHub Pages to make your project live. You will also learn how to customize the URL and share your project easily.

1. Creating a GitHub Account

If you don't already have a GitHub account, follow these steps:

Go to GitHub

Visit github.com and click "Sign up."

Follow the Instructions

Enter your email, create a username and password, and verify your email address.

Customize Your Profile

Once your account is set up, you can add a bio, profile picture, and links to your personal websites or social media.

For a visual walkthrough, you can refer to this video tutorial on creating a GitHub account below :

2. Uploading Your Project

1. Create a New Repository

Log in to your GitHub account.
Click the "+" icon in the top-right corner and select "New repository."
Name the repository (e.g., "hashtag-generator") and add a short description.
Choose whether you want the repository to be public or private. For hosting on GitHub Pages, it needs to be public.
Click "Create repository."

2. Upload Your Project Files

Once your repository is created, you'll see instructions for uploading files. You can either:

Drag and drop your files: Use the "Add file" button and upload your index.html, styles.css, and script.js files.
Push via Git: If you prefer using Git commands, open a terminal and use the following:


git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git branch -M main
git remote add origin https://github.com/yourusername/hashtag-generator.git
git push -u origin main

This process ensures that your project is version-controlled and ready to be deployed. For a more detailed guide, check out this freeCodeCamp article

3. Video Tutorial

Watch this video on uploading projects to GitHub for a step-by-step visual guide.

3. Enabling GitHub Pages

Once your files are uploaded, you can activate GitHub Pages to make your project accessible online:

1. Go to Your Repository :

Navigate to the "Settings" tab of your repository.

2. Enable GitHub Pages

Scroll down to the "Pages" section.
Under "Source," choose the branch you want to use (usually main) and click "Save."
After a few seconds, GitHub will generate a link like https://yourusername.github.io/hashtag-generator/ where your project will be live.

3. Customize Your URL

You can customize the URL to make it easier to share. For instance, use a service like Namecheap to buy a domain and redirect it to your GitHub Pages link.

Another option is to set up a custom domain within the GitHub Pages settings

For a comprehensive tutorial on how to host your website, refer to this GitHub Pages setup video.

Sharing Your Project

Now that your hashtag generator is live, it's time to spread the word:

Social Media: Share the link on your social media profiles, including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Developer Communities:Post your project on platforms like Dev.to, GitHub, or Reddit to receive feedback and inspire others.
Include a Demo Link: Make sure the repository's README file has a link to the live project. This way, visitors can quickly see the project in action without having to download or clone the repository.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to showcase your completed hashtag generator to a broad audience. Feel free to experiment, update, and improve your project over time. You can always make changes and push updates, which will automatically reflect on your GitHub Pages site.

This approach ensures your project remains active, accessible, and ready to share. Happy coding!