How to Set Up a Static HTML Site on Saplo (No Background Process)

The simplest type of application in the entire Saplo catalog: plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files, with no build process or anything kept in memory. If you already have a site, whether handwritten, exported from a static site generator (Hugo, Jekyll, Eleventy, VitePress), or based on a purchased template, you simply upload the files, and that's it. Nginx serves them directly, with no intermediary layer that could fail.

Who is a static site on Saplo for?

Before you start the installation, check whether this is the right choice for your project:

• a business card or landing page based on a ready-made template - you upload the files and the site works, without installing a CMS engine,
• a site generated by a static site generator - Hugo, Jekyll, Eleventy, VitePress and others, as long as the output consists of HTML files,
• documentation or a portfolio - the content changes infrequently, so you do not need an admin panel or a database,
• a site you want to make as lightweight and hard to break as possible - no PHP, no MySQL database, no plugin updates.

If the site needs to grow with features that require a database or a content editing panel without touching the code, check out WordPress or Astro in the application catalog (for content in Markdown from a repository).

Requirements

To set up a static website on Saplo, you need:

• a Box on any plan, S will more than suffice - it is the lightest recipe in the entire catalog,
• at least 64 MB of free RAM and 1 GB of disk space,
• a domain or subdomain *.saploapp.pl included with every plan,
• a Git repository if you want automatic deployments (optional, you can also upload files via SFTP or an archive .zip through the panel).

Step-by-step installation

1. In the Saplo panel, go to Application catalog and select HTML (the "Websites" category).
2. Choose a Box and an application name - a default subdomain <name>.saploapp.pl is generated from it.
3. Confirm the installation. The engine creates a simple placeholder index.html with information about the domain address, so you know the application is working before you upload your own files.
4. After the installation is complete, the domain from step 2 displays this placeholder - from that point on, you replace it with your own website.

Uploading files: SFTP or Git

You have two options, both of which work immediately after installation:

1. SFTP - in the panel, in the SSH / SFTP Access section, add your public key, get the host and port for the application directory, and upload files using any client (FileZilla, Cyberduck, or the command line).
2. Git - in the application details, in the Git / CI-CD section, connect a repository, place the saplo.yaml file in it, and push your changes to the production branch. If the repository does not contain the package.json file, Saplo uploads the files exactly as they are in the repository, with no build.

If your site comes from a static site generator, specify the build command and output directory in saplo.yaml:

name: my-project
stack: static
build:
  install: npm ci
  command: npm run build
  output: dist

For plain HTML files with no build, all you need is:

name: my-project
stack: static
build:
  output: .

Static site on Saplo vs. alternatives

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to use Git to upload a website? No, SFTP works right away after installation - you add a public key in the panel and upload files with any client.

Will a static site work with any generator? Yes, as long as the build outputs ready HTML files to the directory specified in build.output. Saplo runs the build process itself every time git push.

Will I get SSL and my own domain? Yes, the SSL certificate is automatic, and a domain or subdomain *.saploapp.pl is included in the price of every plan.

How much space does a typical business website need? The recipe manifest specifies a minimum of 1 GB, which is more than enough for a website with a photo gallery at a reasonable resolution.

Can I move the website to WordPress or Astro later? Yes, it is a separate application from the same directory - you set it up alongside the existing site, migrate the content at your own pace, and delete the old static version when the new one is ready.

A static site on Saplo is the fastest route from an empty Box to a working domain - no build, no database, no plugin updates. If the content is later to grow with dynamic features, WordPress and Astro are waiting in the same directory.