How to Host A Headless WordPress Site on DigitalOcean
While there are many reasons why you might want to create a WordPress site without a head, one of the biggest is so that you can take advantage of the many free themes available out there. When you host your site on a free service like DigitalOcean, you don’t have to worry about paying for any expensive theme downloads because they will be charged to your credit card. Below, you’ll discover how to host a headless WordPress site on DigitalOcean and make the most of its many features.
DigitalOcean
If you’re reading this, I assume you’re either already using or have at least heard of DigitalOcean. Launched in 2012, this service offers a vast array of hosting packages that you can use to create a WordPress site (or a site of any other type you might want to create). Let’s take a closer look at what DigitalOcean has to offer.
Features
One of the things that I love most about DigitalOcean is how easy it is to get up and running with a fully functioning WordPress site. The fact that it’s a cloud-based service means that you don’t have to worry about hardware requirements (like having a certain amount of RAM) and you don’t have to run any software on your computer to use it. All you need is a web browser and an SSH (Secure Shell) client installed on your phone (I use the official Mozilla Firefox mobile browser).
Because it’s a WordPress-friendly service, you don’t need to be a web developer to use it. All you need is a basic knowledge of HTML and CSS (more on this below). Don’t worry, even if you’re not technical, the tutorials available on their website will walk you step-by-step through the process of creating and customizing your site.
Pricing
One of the things that I love about DigitalOcean is how reasonable their pricing is. Depending on the package you choose, you can have a completely functional WordPress site up and running for well under $5 per month. For comparison, other hosting services can cost you much more.
Where To Host
If you’re reading this, you’re most likely either already using or have heard of GitHub. Launched in 2008, this service is used by developers all over the world to create, manage and deploy code. It’s no secret that GitHub is one of the biggest and most popular code repositories on the internet, with over 20 million monthly active users. Now that you know a little bit about GitHub, you might be wondering what it has to do with hosting a WordPress site.
The fact that GitHub is open source makes it incredibly developer-friendly. This means that you don’t have to be a programmer to use it (like most other platforms). Even if you aren’t familiar with code, you can use their simple Web IDE (integrated development environment) to easily create and publish your own WordPress sites and applications.
If you’re looking for a free service that allows you to build your WordPress site without having to worry about spending a fortune on costly software or hosting fees, then I’d highly recommend checking out DigitalOcean. They have a simple to use web interface that will walk you through the process of launching your site in just a few minutes.