How to deploy a website built with GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot writes code with you, in your editor or as an agent on GitHub, but it doesn't host your website. Whichever way you used it, you end up with an ordinary project: a React or Next.js app, a Python or Node server, sometimes one HTML page. To put it in production, get the code onto GitHub or into a ZIP, fix the few things that behave differently on a server, and deploy it to a host.

Give Copilot a task like this one, in agent mode in your editor, or as an issue you assign to the coding agent (then review its pull request before merging):

Prepare this project for production hosting. The host builds from the
repository root, runs one container, sets the PORT environment variable
and provides secrets as environment variables. Please:
- make the app listen on PORT
- move every secret and API key into environment variables, and list
  their names (without values) in .env.example
- make sure .env is in .gitignore
- read the database URL from an environment variable instead of
  pointing at localhost
- make sure there is a production build and a start command
- make the home page / return a normal page without a login
Don't deploy anything. Change the code and list what you changed.

Keep it that way with custom instructions

Copilot follows repository custom instructions in .github/copilot-instructions.md, and the coding agent also reads AGENTS.md. Add a few lines to one of them so later changes don't undo the work:

## Deployment
- Production builds from the repository root and runs as one container.
- The app must listen on the PORT environment variable.
- Secrets and URLs come from environment variables; never commit .env.
- Add every new variable name to .env.example.
- The home page / must answer without a login.

• Separate front-end and back-end folders (such as frontend/ and backend/). ProHostiva builds the top level of a repository or ZIP, so put each part in its own repository and deploy them as two websites, or ask Copilot to make the backend serve the built front end so it's one app.
• A Docker Compose file with a database next to the app (docker-compose.yml). Multi-container setups aren't supported: deploy the app on its own and use a hosted database such as Supabase or Neon.
• A Dockerfile at the top level is always used when it's there. If it was written for development, ask Copilot to make it production-ready or remove it, and we'll build the project ourselves.

1. Check it (free)

   Paste your repository's address into Check my project, or upload the ZIP. Anything the report flags can usually be handed straight to Copilot as a task or an issue.

2. Start a new website

   In your dashboard, click Host a website, then choose GitHub repository and connect GitHub, or upload the ZIP. Pick the branch your merged work is on. See Deploying from GitHub.

3. Check what we detected

   We show the framework, the runtime version and the build and start commands. Change a command only if you know it's different.

4. Add environment variables

   Everything in your .env.example goes under Developer settings → Environment variables, with production values. Tick Secret for anything private.

5. Publish

   Name the website, choose its address and click Publish website. We build it in an isolated container, check that the home page answers, and put it online at yourname.prohostiva.com.

6. Connect your domain

   Under Domains, add your domain, create the two DNS records we show and click Verify DNS. HTTPS is set up for you. See Connecting your own domain.

Updating the site later

Keep working with Copilot as before. When the changes are on your deployed branch (merged from the agent's pull request, or pushed from your computer), click Publish latest version on the website's page. Nothing goes live until you click, and if a new version fails to build or start, the current one stays online.

• Rotate any key that was ever committed. Deleting it from the code isn't enough if it's in the Git history; create a new one at the service and set it as an environment variable.
• Allow your domain where your code or its services expect known addresses: Django's ALLOWED_HOSTS, an API's CORS origins, and sign-in redirect URLs at Google, GitHub, Supabase or Auth0.
• Switch services to production: Stripe live keys and a webhook pointing at your domain, a production database rather than a test one, real email settings.
• Run your database migrations. They're never run automatically on deploy.

• The live site doesn't have Copilot's latest changes: the agent's pull request isn't merged into your deployed branch yet, or the website deploys a different branch. Merge it, then click Publish latest version.
• It works on my computer but the build fails: often a file that was never committed, a missing lockfile, or a package the agent's setup steps installed but your project doesn't list. Add it to package.json or requirements.txt and deploy again.
• Health check failed: the app listens on a fixed port instead of PORT, or the home page redirects to a login. See Troubleshooting.
• "We couldn't find a website or app here": the project is in a subfolder. See the layouts above.
• Database connection errors: the database URL still points at localhost. Use your hosted database's URL in an environment variable.
• A blank page (React, Vue, Svelte): a missing VITE_ variable. Add it and deploy again.