---
template: overrides/main.html
---
# Publishing your site
The great thing about hosting project documentation in a `git` repository is
the ability to deploy it automatically when new changes are pushed. MkDocs
makes this ridiculously simple.
## GitHub Pages
If you're already hosting your code on GitHub, [GitHub Pages][1] is certainly
the most convenient way to publish your project documentation. It's free of
charge and pretty easy to set up.
[1]: https://pages.github.com/
### with GitHub Actions
Using [GitHub Actions][2] you can automate the deployment of your project
documentation. At the root of your repository, create a new GitHub Actions
workflow, e.g. `.github/workflows/ci.yml`, and copy and paste the following
contents:
=== "Material for MkDocs"
``` yaml
name: ci
on:
push:
branches:
- master
jobs:
deploy:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v2
- uses: actions/setup-python@v2
with:
python-version: 3.x
- run: pip install mkdocs-material
- run: mkdocs gh-deploy --force
```
=== "Insiders"
``` yaml
name: ci
on:
push:
branches:
- master
jobs:
deploy:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
if: github.event.pull_request.head.repo.fork == false
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v2
- uses: actions/setup-python@v2
with:
python-version: 3.x
- run: pip install git+https://${GH_TOKEN}@github.com/squidfunk/mkdocs-material-insiders.git
- run: mkdocs gh-deploy --force
env:
GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GH_TOKEN }}
```
Now, when a new commit is pushed to `master`, the static site is automatically
built and deployed. Commit and push the file to your repository to see the
workflow in action.
Your documentation should shortly appear at `.github.io/`.
_Remember to set the_ `GH_TOKEN` _environment variable to the value of your
[personal access token][3] when using [Material for MkDocs Insiders][4], which
can be done using [secrets][5]._
[2]: https://github.com/features/actions
[3]: https://docs.github.com/en/github/authenticating-to-github/creating-a-personal-access-token
[4]: insiders.md
[5]: https://docs.github.com/en/actions/configuring-and-managing-workflows/creating-and-storing-encrypted-secrets
### with MkDocs
If you prefer to deploy your project documentation manually, you can just invoke
the following command from the directory containing the `mkdocs.yml` file:
```
mkdocs gh-deploy --force
```
## GitLab Pages
If you're hosting your code on GitLab, deploying to [GitLab Pages][6] can be
done by using the [GitLab CI][7] task runner. At the root of your repository,
create a task definition named `.gitlab-ci.yml` and copy and paste the
following contents:
=== "Material for MkDocs"
``` yaml
image: python:latest
deploy:
stage: deploy
only:
- master
script:
- pip install mkdocs-material
- mkdocs build --site-dir public
artifacts:
paths:
- public
```
=== "Insiders"
``` yaml
image: python:latest
deploy:
stage: deploy
only:
- master
script:
- pip install git+https://${GH_TOKEN}@github.com/squidfunk/mkdocs-material-insiders.git
- mkdocs build --site-dir public
artifacts:
paths:
- public
```
Now, when a new commit is pushed to `master`, the static site is automatically
built and deployed. Commit and push the file to your repository to see the
workflow in action.
Your documentation should shortly appear at `.gitlab.io/`.
_Remember to set the_ `GH_TOKEN` _environment variable to the value of your
[personal access token][3] when using [Material for MkDocs Insiders][4], which
can be done using [masked custom variables][8]._
[6]: https://gitlab.com/pages
[7]: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/
[8]: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/variables/#create-a-custom-variable-in-the-ui