GitHub Pages Hosting

Overview

The jonbeckett.com blog is hosted on GitHub Pages, GitHub’s free static site hosting service that provides automated Jekyll building, global CDN distribution, and seamless integration with Git-based workflows.

Hosting Architecture

GitHub Pages Infrastructure

• Global CDN: Content delivered from edge locations worldwide
• Automatic SSL: HTTPS enforcement with Let’s Encrypt certificates
• Custom Domain: jonbeckett.com configured via CNAME file
• Build System: Automated Jekyll compilation on every push

Repository Configuration

• Repository: jonbeckett/jonbeckett.github.io
• Branch: main (default GitHub Pages branch)
• Build Source: Root directory of main branch
• Custom Domain: jonbeckett.com (via CNAME file)

Domain Configuration

Custom Domain Setup

# CNAME file content
jonbeckett.com

DNS Configuration Required

# DNS A Records (pointing to GitHub Pages IPs)
jonbeckett.com → 185.199.108.153
jonbeckett.com → 185.199.109.153
jonbeckett.com → 185.199.110.153
jonbeckett.com → 185.199.111.153

# CNAME Record for www subdomain
www.jonbeckett.com → jonbeckett.github.io

HTTPS Configuration

• SSL Certificate: Automatically provided by GitHub Pages
• HTTPS Enforcement: Enabled in repository settings
• HTTP Redirects: Automatic redirect from HTTP to HTTPS

Deployment Process

Automated Deployment

1. Code Push: Changes pushed to main branch
2. Build Trigger: GitHub Pages detects changes automatically
3. Jekyll Build: Site compiled using GitHub Pages Jekyll environment
4. Content Deployment: Built site deployed to GitHub’s CDN
5. Cache Invalidation: CDN caches updated globally

Build Environment

• Jekyll Version: Latest supported by github-pages gem
• Ruby Version: GitHub Pages default Ruby environment
• Build Time: Typically 30-60 seconds for full site rebuild
• Build Limits: 10 builds per hour, 100GB bandwidth per month

GitHub Pages Limitations

Technical Constraints

• Plugin Restrictions: Only whitelisted Jekyll plugins allowed
• Build Time Limit: 10 minutes maximum per build
• File Size Limit: 100MB maximum per file
• Repository Size: 1GB soft limit, 5GB hard limit

Supported Jekyll Plugins

# GitHub Pages whitelisted plugins
plugins:
  - jekyll-paginate
  - jekyll-sitemap
  - jekyll-gist
  - jekyll-feed
  - jekyll-include-cache
  - jekyll-archives

Performance & Availability

Global CDN Performance

• Edge Locations: 200+ locations worldwide
• Response Time: Sub-100ms from nearest edge
• Uptime SLA: 99.9% availability target
• Bandwidth: Unlimited (fair use policy)

Caching Strategy

• Static Assets: Long-term caching (1 year)
• HTML Content: Short-term caching (5 minutes)
• DNS TTL: 24 hours for A records
• CDN Purge: Automatic on content updates

Monitoring & Analytics

GitHub Pages Status

• Build Status: Visible in repository Actions tab
• Deploy History: Complete deployment log available
• Error Reporting: Build failures reported via email/GitHub notifications

Traffic Analytics

• Google Analytics: Integrated for visitor tracking
• GitHub Insights: Repository traffic and clone statistics
• Performance Monitoring: Core Web Vitals via Google Search Console

Security Features

GitHub Pages Security

• DDoS Protection: Automatic mitigation at CDN level
• SSL/TLS: Modern encryption protocols (TLS 1.2+)
• Security Headers: Basic security headers included
• HSTS: HTTP Strict Transport Security enabled

Content Security

• Safe Mode: Jekyll runs in safe mode (no arbitrary code execution)
• Dependency Scanning: GitHub Dependabot for security updates
• Branch Protection: Optional branch protection rules

Backup & Recovery

Version Control Backup

• Git History: Complete change history preserved
• Repository Cloning: Full backup via git clone
• GitHub Archive: Repository download via GitHub interface

Content Recovery

• Commit History: Point-in-time recovery via Git
• Build Artifacts: Previous builds accessible via Pages history
• External Backups: Automated backups to external services possible

Cost Structure

GitHub Pages Pricing

• Public Repositories: Free hosting with unlimited bandwidth
• Custom Domains: Free SSL certificates included
• Build Minutes: Unlimited for public repositories
• Storage: 1GB included, additional storage available

Third-Party Costs

• Domain Registration: Annual domain renewal fees
• External Analytics: Google Analytics (free tier)
• Monitoring Services: Optional third-party monitoring

Migration Considerations

Moving From GitHub Pages

• Static Export: Site can be built locally and deployed elsewhere
• Domain Transfer: DNS changes required for new hosting
• SSL Certificates: New certificates needed for alternative hosting
• Build Process: May require custom CI/CD pipeline

Alternative Hosting Options

• Netlify: Enhanced features and build customization
• Vercel: Performance optimization and edge functions
• Cloudflare Pages: Advanced security and edge computing
• Self-Hosted: Complete control with manual management

Hosting Configuration: GitHub Pages with Custom Domain
Primary Domain: jonbeckett.com
Repository: jonbeckett/jonbeckett.github.io
SSL Certificate: GitHub Pages automatic SSL
CDN: GitHub’s global content delivery network