1. Account creation
Screenshot: Netlify/GitHub sign-up or login page after account creation. Annotation: platform selected and reason.
This academic page supports Section B by evaluating hosting options, recommending Netlify, and listing deployment evidence screenshots for the published site.
Sources checked: GitHub Pages is available on GitHub Free public repositories and supports custom domains/HTTPS settings; Netlify supports Git-based deploys, manual deploys, drag-and-drop deploys, and serverless form handling; AWS Amplify Hosting supports static apps with pay-as-you-go pricing and CDN delivery.
| Option | Fit for budget | Fit for audience | Long-term fit | Risks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ugandan shared hosting at UGX 180,000/year | Affordable within the grant, predictable annual cost. | Local support can help a non-technical cooperative. | Good for email/cPanel, but performance depends on host quality. | Manual updates, backup responsibility, variable support and uptime. |
| GitHub Pages | Free for a static site and includes HTTPS support. | Fast enough for lightweight pages, but no built-in form handling. | Good for version control and student maintenance. | Requires Git skills and no formal SLA on free static hosting. |
| Netlify pay-as-you-go cloud plan | Can start free/low-cost and scale only when usage grows. | Global CDN, HTTPS, deploy previews, and simple form support suit mobile users. | Best growth path for forms, analytics, and future CMS integration. | Requires account setup and care to avoid unexpected usage costs. |
Recommendation
Netlify is recommended because the site is static, mobile-first, and may later need form handling, deploy previews, and a custom domain without the complexity of AWS. The submitted prototype is live at https://deft-lokum-2f20c7.netlify.app/. GitHub Pages is the backup if the budget must remain zero and forms are handled by phone/WhatsApp only.
Deployment evidence
Capture these screenshots during real publication and place them in the final report.
Screenshot: Netlify/GitHub sign-up or login page after account creation. Annotation: platform selected and reason.
Screenshot: new project/site dashboard. Annotation: repository or folder selected for deployment.
Screenshot: file upload or repository connection. Annotation: files include HTML, CSS, JS, and assets.
Screenshot: publish directory set to project root, no build command for plain HTML. Annotation: static site deployment.
Screenshot: successful deploy log. Annotation: confirms files were published without errors.
Screenshot: browser showing https://deft-lokum-2f20c7.netlify.app/. Annotation: URL opens the functional cooperative website.