What is gh-pages branch?
The gh-pages branch is a special branch in Git that is commonly used for hosting static files, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, on GitHub Pages. GitHub Pages is a static site hosting service that allows users to create and publish websites directly from their GitHub repositories. The gh-pages branch is essential for anyone looking to deploy a website using GitHub Pages, as it provides a dedicated space to store the static files required for the site to function properly.
The gh-pages branch is named after GitHub, as it is a feature specific to the platform. When you create a new repository on GitHub, a default branch named “main” is automatically created. However, the gh-pages branch is not created by default. To use GitHub Pages, you must manually create the gh-pages branch and configure your repository settings to point to it.
Creating the gh-pages branch
To create the gh-pages branch, you can use the following Git command in your terminal or command prompt:
“`
git checkout –orphan gh-pages
“`
This command creates a new branch named “gh-pages” and switches to it. The “–orphan” flag ensures that the new branch is a completely separate copy of your repository, without any of the existing commits.
Once you have created the gh-pages branch, you can start adding your static files to it. This typically involves creating a new directory within the branch, such as “docs,” and then adding your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files to that directory.
Configuring GitHub Pages
After adding your static files to the gh-pages branch, you need to configure your GitHub repository settings to point to the branch. To do this, go to your repository’s settings page on GitHub and navigate to the “Pages” section. Here, you will find an option to “Choose a source branch” for your GitHub Pages site.
Select the gh-pages branch from the dropdown menu and click “Save changes.” GitHub will then automatically build and deploy your static site to a unique URL based on your GitHub username and repository name.
Using the gh-pages branch for different purposes
While the gh-pages branch is primarily used for hosting static websites, it can also be used for other purposes. For example, some developers use the gh-pages branch to host documentation or user guides for their projects. By keeping the documentation in a separate branch, they can maintain the main codebase without cluttering it with documentation-related files.
Additionally, the gh-pages branch can be used to host demos or prototypes of a project. This allows developers to showcase their work without having to push it to the main branch, which might contain unfinished or unstable code.
In conclusion, the gh-pages branch is a powerful feature of GitHub Pages that allows users to easily host and deploy static websites. By creating and configuring the branch, you can take advantage of GitHub’s static site hosting capabilities and share your work with the world.
