VCF Insider - GitHub Pages Deployment Guide

VCF Insider - GitHub Pages Deployment Guide

🚀 Deploy Your VCF Insider Blog to GitHub Pages

Your Jekyll site is now ready for GitHub Pages! Follow these steps to deploy your blog and connect your custom domain.

Step 1: Create GitHub Repository

  1. Go to GitHub.com and sign in to your account
  2. Click “New repository” (green button)
  3. Repository name: vcf-insider-blog (or any name you prefer)
  4. Description: “VCF Insider - VMware Cloud Foundation Blog”
  5. Make it Public (required for free GitHub Pages)
  6. Don’t initialize with README (we have our own files)
  7. Click “Create repository”

Step 2: Upload Your Files to GitHub

  1. Download GitHub Desktop from https://desktop.github.com/
  2. Clone your repository to your computer
  3. Copy all your Jekyll files into the repository folder
  4. Commit and push your changes

Option B: Using Git Command Line

# Navigate to your project directory
cd C:\Users\Chris\Documents\GitHub\wordpress-autopost

# Initialize git repository
git init

# Add all files
git add .

# Commit files
git commit -m "Initial commit - VCF Insider blog"

# Add your GitHub repository as remote
git remote add origin https://github.com/YOURUSERNAME/vcf-insider-blog.git

# Push to GitHub
git push -u origin main

Step 3: Enable GitHub Pages

  1. Go to your repository on GitHub.com
  2. Click “Settings” tab
  3. Scroll down to “Pages” section
  4. Source: Select “Deploy from a branch”
  5. Branch: Select “main” (or “master”)
  6. Folder: Select “/ (root)”
  7. Click “Save”

Step 4: Configure Custom Domain

Update _config.yml for your GitHub Pages URL:

# Change this line in _config.yml:
url: "https://YOURUSERNAME.github.io"
baseurl: "/vcf-insider-blog"  # Your repository name

Add Custom Domain to GitHub Pages:

  1. In your repository Settings > Pages
  2. Add your custom domain: vcfinsider.com
  3. Check “Enforce HTTPS” (will be available after DNS is configured)

Step 5: Configure DNS (Domain Settings)

Where to Make Changes:

  • Go to your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)
  • Find DNS management or DNS settings

DNS Records to Add:

For Root Domain (vcfinsider.com):

Type: A
Name: @
Value: 185.199.108.153
Value: 185.199.109.153
Value: 185.199.110.153
Value: 185.199.111.153

For WWW Subdomain (www.vcfinsider.com):

Type: CNAME
Name: www
Value: YOURUSERNAME.github.io

Wait for DNS Propagation:

  • DNS changes can take 24-48 hours to fully propagate
  • Use online tools like https://dnschecker.org to verify

Step 6: Verify Deployment

  1. Check GitHub Actions tab in your repository for build status
  2. Visit your site: https://YOURUSERNAME.github.io/vcf-insider-blog
  3. Test custom domain: https://vcfinsider.com (after DNS propagation)
  4. Check HTTPS: Ensure SSL certificate is working

Troubleshooting

Build Failures:

  • Check GitHub Actions logs for error details
  • Verify Gemfile has github-pages gem
  • Ensure _config.yml has correct plugins

DNS Issues:

  • Wait 24-48 hours for full propagation
  • Use DNS checker tools to verify
  • Check domain registrar settings

Custom Domain Not Working:

  • Verify DNS records are correct
  • Wait for HTTPS certificate (can take a few hours)
  • Check GitHub Pages settings for domain configuration

Post-Deployment Checklist

  • âś… Site loads at GitHub Pages URL
  • âś… Custom domain works (vcfinsider.com)
  • âś… HTTPS is enabled and working
  • âś… All pages load correctly
  • âś… Blog posts display properly
  • âś… Contact form works (if implemented)
  • âś… RSS feed is accessible

Next Steps

  1. Add Google Analytics for traffic monitoring
  2. Set up Google Search Console for SEO
  3. Create social media accounts
  4. Start promoting your blog
  5. Regular content publishing schedule

Support

If you encounter issues:

  1. Check GitHub Pages documentation
  2. Review Jekyll troubleshooting guides
  3. Contact your domain registrar for DNS issues

Your VCF Insider blog will be live at: https://vcfinsider.com 🎉