Vanilla Gorilla

Static Hosting Options

Vanilla Gorilla compiles your website into a pure, optimized static directory (dist/). Since it doesn't require a backend server-side runtime like Node.js, Python, or Ruby, you have complete flexibility in how you host it.

To support you out of the gate, Vanilla Gorilla scaffolds two primary Git-automated hosting pipelines: GitHub Pages (via .github/workflows/pages.yml) and AWS S3 + CloudFront CDN (via .github/workflows/deploy.yml).

Let's break down the advantages, disadvantages, and best use cases for both.

Strategy 1: GitHub Pages

GitHub Pages is a developer-focused static hosting platform integrated directly into the GitHub ecosystem. By configuring your repository settings and committing to main, GitHub builds and deploys your code automatically.

The Pros

Completely Free: No credit cards, no hosting fees, and no DNS query costs. It is 100% free for public repositories.
Zero Credential Management: The pages.yml workflow utilizes built-in GitHub Action OIDC tokens to deploy. You do not need to configure, store, or rotate external API keys or secrets.
Automated SSL/TLS: HTTPS is automatically provisioned and renewed for you, whether you use a *.github.io domain or a custom domain.
Single Ecosystem: Keep your codebase, issue tracking, and hosting deployment all under one roof.

The Cons

Minimal Routing Control: You cannot configure custom headers (like security headers or cache-control), and custom redirects are difficult to manage without hacky client-side scripts.
Bandwidth & Size Limits: Sites are subject to a soft limit of 1 GB in total size and a monthly bandwidth cap of 100 GB.
No Edge-Side Logic: You cannot execute functions at the CDN edge to rewrite requests, block IP ranges, or perform basic authentication.
Public Repository Requirement: To host on GitHub Pages for free with a custom domain, your repository must be public (unless you upgrade to a paid GitHub Pro/Enterprise tier).

Strategy 2: AWS S3 + CloudFront CDN

This is the industry-standard architecture for enterprise-grade static hosting. Your static files are stored in a private Amazon S3 bucket, which is fronted by a global Amazon CloudFront CDN distribution with Origin Access Control (OAC) to secure the connection.

The Pros

Sub-Millisecond TTFB: CloudFront serves your cached files from hundreds of global edge locations closest to your users, making loading times near-instantaneous.
Infinite Scalability: AWS easily absorbs viral traffic spikes (from Reddit, Hacker News, or product launches) without breaking a sweat or requiring manual server scaling.
Granular Customization: You can configure custom cache headers, setup custom error pages (e.g. standardizing 404 behaviors), and attach CloudFront Functions for request manipulation.
Advanced Security: Native integration with AWS Shield (DDoS protection) and AWS WAF (Web Application Firewall) to protect your site.

The Cons

Setup Complexity: Configuring IAM users, S3 bucket policies, ACM SSL certificates, CloudFront routing rules, and Route 53 DNS records requires a steep learning curve.
Pipeline Vulnerabilities: Since deployments rely on external IAM user credentials, improper IAM configurations can easily break your CI/CD pipeline (e.g., throwing a cloudfront:CreateInvalidation AccessDenied error).
Pay-For-Usage Costs: Although the CloudFront Free Tier is very generous (1 TB/month), S3 storage fees and Route 53 hosted zones ($0.50/month per zone) mean you will always pay a small baseline cost.
DDoS Financial Risk: Because AWS bills you based on outbound bandwidth, an unmitigated DDoS attack or traffic flood can lead to surprise costs if you don't set up billing alarms.

How to Choose?

To decide which deployment strategy to keep in your Vanilla Gorilla project, ask yourself these simple questions:

Go with GitHub Pages if: You are building a personal portfolio, a blog, or documentation, want to set it up in under five minutes for free, and don't need custom caching headers or edge logic.

Go with AWS S3 + CloudFront if: You are building a production business website, require custom HTTP headers, need to handle massive traffic surges robustly, or want to leverage edge functions for advanced routing.