This page is for web servants looking for resources on how to build websites while following the AA Traditions.
Domain Name
A domain name is one of the first things you will need when starting your website. You can think of this as your “digital address” from which people can find you. For example, the domain name for this website is www.area74.org.
You can check the availability of a domain name with many free tools online. Once you find an available domain name you will need to choose a Domain name registrar to register your domain name with. This is entirely your preference, but you should shop around to find the best deals. Usually you can save money when you bundle the domain name registration with the web hosting (discussed in the section below).
Web Hosting
A host is the storage unit where your website content lives online. Whenever someone enters your domain name in a web browser, the browser will fetch your website content from your website host.
The type of hosting you choose depends on how many visitors you have coming to your website. In most cases, a shared hosting plan will suffice. This is also the cheapest option. Shared hosting means that your website content is stored on a server with other websites.
Building the Website
When it comes to actually building the website you have a lot of options. I’ve built websites from scratch using HTML/Javascript, and used website builders like WordPress that provide a layer of abstraction from the code to make it easier to build the website.
From my experience, you may want to think twice before building the website by hand. Our AA service commitments are temporary. If another AA web servant comes along who doesn’t know how to code, they are going to have a really hard time maintaining and adding to the website. WordPress is much easier to understand for beginners (most of the time).
If you choose to use a website builder to start your site, most web hosting services will install it for you on your server. Check your web hosting service’s resource pages for information on how to install the builder.
Pamphlets
Protecting the anonymity of our AA members is vital, even on the web! Here are some AA resources to look over as you begin building your website.
Understanding Anonymity
Box 459 Article – Passing the Digital Basket
Anonymity Online
Questions? Feel free to reach out to webmaster@area74.org and we would be happy to help you.