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Overview
This guide walks Cedarville University faculty through publishing an interactive HTML file — generated by Codex (CU's AI-assisted content authoring tool) — to the web using GitHub Pages, a free static-site hosting service provided by GitHub. No command-line or Git experience is required.
Important — Public Content: Content published via GitHub Pages is publicly accessible to anyone on the internet, not just CU community members. Review your file for sensitive or proprietary information before publishing.
This guide covers:
- Creating a free GitHub account
- Uploading a single HTML file generated by Codex
- Publishing it live using GitHub Pages
- Sharing the link in Canvas (Cedarville's learning management system)
Step 1: Create a GitHub Account
- Go to https://github.com and click Sign up.
- Choose Continue with Google (recommended). Use your Cedarville Google account (@cedarville.edu) to keep your work associated with your institutional identity.
- Complete the prompts:
- Username — This becomes part of your site's URL, so choose something recognizable (e.g.,
jdoe-cedarville).
- Email — Auto-filled from your Google account.
- Password — Only prompted if not using Google sign-in.
- Verify your account if prompted.
When finished, you will land on your GitHub dashboard.
Step 2: Create a New Repository
A repository (or "repo") is GitHub's term for a project folder. Each repository you create will become one published web page.
- Click the + icon in the top-right corner, then select New repository.
- Fill in the following:
- Repository name — Choose something short and descriptive (e.g.,
biology-module-1). This name will appear in your site's URL.
- Visibility — Select Public. GitHub Pages requires a public repository on free accounts.
- Click Create repository.
Step 3: Upload Your HTML File
- On your new repository page, click Add file, then Upload files.
- Drag and drop your HTML file into the upload area.
File Naming Requirement: The file must be named exactly index.html (all lowercase). Names like Index.html or index.HTML will result in a 404 error when you try to visit your site.
- Scroll down and click Commit changes to save the file to your repository.
Step 4: Enable GitHub Pages
- Click the Settings tab near the top of your repository page.
- In the left sidebar, click Pages.
- Under Build and deployment → Source, configure the following:
- Branch:
main
- Folder:
/ (root)
- Click Save.
Step 5: Access Your Live Site
After approximately 30–60 seconds, GitHub will build and publish your site. Your site's URL will follow this pattern:
https://[your-github-username].github.io/[repository-name]/
For example, if your GitHub username is jdoe and your repository is named biology-module-1, your URL would be:
https://jdoe.github.io/biology-module-1/
GitHub will also display the URL directly on the Pages settings page once the site is live.
Once you have your link, you can share it with students by posting it in Canvas (Instructure Canvas, Cedarville's learning management system).
Common Issues & Fixes
| Issue |
Likely Cause |
Fix |
| Page shows a 404 error |
File is not named index.html |
Rename the file to index.html (all lowercase) and re-upload. |
| Page loads but appears blank |
HTML file is incomplete or malformed |
Re-export the file from Codex and re-upload. |
| Site is not live yet |
GitHub Pages deployment delay |
Wait approximately 1 minute, then refresh. Check the Pages settings page for a status indicator. |
| URL does not work |
Username or repository name is misspelled in the URL |
Return to your repository's Pages settings to copy the exact URL provided by GitHub. |
Tips
- To update your module, simply re-upload a new
index.html to the same repository and commit the changes. Your live site will update automatically within about a minute.
- Each repository hosts one published page. Create a new repository for each additional module.
- Keep repository names short and lowercase for the cleanest URLs.
Need Help?
If you encounter an issue not covered above, contact the CU IT Help Desk for assistance.
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