How to deploy React application to GitHub Pages

In this article, we will see how to deploy a react application GitHub pages.

This article assumes that you have a GitHub account, if not, create one here.

Creating the React App

Create a react app using the following command:

1npx create-react-app deploy-github-pages

Now install the gh-pages package as a development dependency. This helps in deploying the React app to GitHub pages.

1npm install gh-pages -D

Updating package.json

Open package.json and add the following line:

1"homepage": "https://<your_username>.github.io/<repo_name>"

Example:

1"homepage": "https://collegewap.github.io/deploy-github-pages"

This will be the URL of your application when you deploy it.

Now add the following scripts to package.json:

1"predeploy": "npm run build",
2"deploy": "gh-pages -d build",

Here we have added 2 scripts, one is to build the project locally and another to upload the build files to GitHub pages.

This is how the package.json would look now:

package.json

1{
2  "name": "deploy-github-pages",
3  "version": "0.1.0",
4  "homepage": "https://collegewap.github.io/deploy-github-pages",
5  "private": true,
6  "dependencies": {
7    "@testing-library/jest-dom": "^5.16.5",
8    "@testing-library/react": "^13.4.0",
9    "@testing-library/user-event": "^13.5.0",
10    "react": "^18.2.0",
11    "react-dom": "^18.2.0",
12    "react-scripts": "5.0.1",
13    "web-vitals": "^2.1.4"
14  },
15  "scripts": {
16    "predeploy": "npm run build",
17    "deploy": "gh-pages -d build",
18    "start": "react-scripts start",
19    "build": "react-scripts build",
20    "test": "react-scripts test",
21    "eject": "react-scripts eject"
22  },
23  "eslintConfig": {
24    "extends": ["react-app", "react-app/jest"]
25  },
26  "browserslist": {
27    "production": [">0.2%", "not dead", "not op_mini all"],
28    "development": [
29      "last 1 chrome version",
30      "last 1 firefox version",
31      "last 1 safari version"
32    ]
33  },
34  "devDependencies": {
35    "gh-pages": "^4.0.0"
36  }
37}

Pushing the code to GitHub

Create a public repository named deploy-github-pages in GitHub.

If you want to deploy a private GitHub repository to GitHub pages, then you will have to upgrade your account.

Now add the files and commit the changes in your project:

1git add *
2git commit -m "Adding GitHub Pages"

Now add and push the code to the remote repository:

1git remote add origin https://github.com/<username>/<repo_name>.git
2# git remote add origin https://github.com/collegewap/deploy-github-pages.git
3git push -u origin master # or main

Deploying to GitHub pages

Run the following command inside the project:

1npm run deploy

Now it will create a branch called gh-pages and push it to the remote repository.

Now open your GitHub repository and click on Settings:

In Settings, choose Pages.

In the Build and deployment section,

Choose source as Deploy from branch.
Branch as gh-pages.
Folder as /(root).
Click on Save.

Again run the deploy command inside your project:

1npm run deploy

Now your React application will be deployed to GitHub pages.

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How to deploy React application to GitHub Pages

Table of Contents

Creating the React App

Updating package.json

Pushing the code to GitHub

Deploying to GitHub pages

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