How to Host/Deploy KirbyCMS Website?

Hello there.

I am a new developer and have recently built a website to showcase my portfolio. I have finished coding my website using the KirbyCMS plainkit but I am absolutely lost on how I can begin deploying and hosting this website.

Can somebody please help?

Sure. Just not sure where what exactly you know and where I would have to start.

In the most simple setup, you would upload all files via SFTP (including the .htaccess file (make sure that hidden files are shown in your file system) to the doc root of your hosting service just as you would a static HTML website.

If this doesn’t mean anything to you, please let us know what you do or don’t know yet.

Hello!

As it stands, I have deployed my Website by creating an App on Heroku. However, I can’t seem to switch to other pages? I can’t find the htaccess file

As I wrote above, the .htaccess file is (like all files that start with a dot) invisible in your file system by default. This file is necessary on an Apache web server to take care of URL rewriting (which is needed so that other pages work).

On a Mac, you can press CMD+Shift+. to toggle the visibility of hidden files.

Note that Heroku uses an ephemeral file system so you cannot persist data you add via the Panel (if that’s what you want to do). It only makes sense if you make any changes locally and then deploy to Heroku.

hey, sonja,
thank you, i found the htacess file! however, heroku turned out to be a more complicated process. i am considering using digital ocean but still don’t know how i would configure a droplet to run my KirbyCMS files.
any advice?
i am a complete beginner to web hosting, having only used my domain redirecting to my github repository

At Digital Ocean, you would have to configure your droplet as well, which they explain well in their documentation, but which I think is not really stuff for beginners.

Use a shared hosting service where you don’t have to configure anything and you are good to go.

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thank you for all the help thus far, Sonja, i think i’m beginning to understand the process a little better. i already have a domain name at Namecheap.com, would i be able to host my site there? using a cPanel or something?

Are you looking at their shared hosting? Choosing a web host really depends on your expected site traffic, the level of reliability you need and the level of support you require.

I’m currently with Namecheap shared hosting, but I’m only there because it used to be cheap (before they almost doubled the price last December) and because it’s a personal site with no traffic so I don’t care if the reliability isn’t the best.

Namecheap used to have good rep for customer support, but recently there are reports of them cancelling domain auction due to low winning bid while citing fraud and not paying their developer.

I’m planning to move away when my hosting renewal comes up.

thank you for the detailed response! like you, the website is my personal one to display my portfolio. i don’t expect much traffic. since i already have a domain with namecheap, i think i might go ahead with them for now. when i select the shared hosting option, do i choose cPanel?

Unless you’re technical enough to not need a control panel, yes you should select cPanel.

Hello,

I have since uploaded my files using cPanel and FileZilla. However, it give me the following error when I load the site:

Composer detected issues in your platform: Your Composer dependencies require a PHP version “>= 8.0.0”.

You need to switch your PHP version to the latest.

Shaw, you’re a lifesaver! that worked.

Thank you so so much.