How to Publish a Website from Cursor
Michael Sacca•How to Publish a Website from Cursor
You've been coding in Cursor for an afternoon. You have an index.html that looks right. You hit preview and it works. Now what?
There's a publishing decision at the end of every Cursor session that doesn't get talked about enough. This post covers the static-site path specifically. If you built a full-stack app in Cursor with a backend, go read How to Deploy a Cursor Project for that scope.
For static HTML sites, there are four routes worth knowing.
At a glance
| Path | Time to live | Cost | Requires |
|---|---|---|---|
| HTMLPub paste | 60 seconds | Free to start | Nothing, open a tab |
| Cursor + Netlify (built-in) | 2-3 minutes | Free tier | Netlify account |
| GitHub Pages | 5-10 minutes | Free | GitHub account, git know-how |
| Netlify Drop | 2 minutes | Free tier | A browser |
If you're optimizing for getting the URL into someone's inbox in the next minute, the top of the table wins. If you want the project in version control with automatic re-deploys, drop to Netlify or GitHub.
Path 1: Copy-paste into HTMLPub (fastest)
Open htmlpub.com, paste the HTML from Cursor, hit publish. You get a live URL in 60 seconds. Works for single-file pages and multi-page sites. Custom domains and SSL are available on Starter plans.
No GitHub, no deploy config, no CI, no build step. You copied HTML from an editor to a publisher.
For the full playbook on AI-native publishing, see How to Publish HTML Online.
Where it wins:
- A demo that needs a URL in the next five minutes
- Client review pages where they will never see the repo
- Single-page sites where version control is overkill
Where it loses:
- Complex builds that involve a bundler or framework step
- Projects where you want git history on every change
Connect Cursor to HTMLPub via MCP if you want to skip the tab switch entirely. Claude or Cursor's agent publishes directly from the chat.
Path 2: Cursor's built-in Netlify deploy
Recent Cursor versions include a Netlify integration. You authenticate once with a Netlify account, then "Deploy to Netlify" from inside Cursor. The first deploy takes a few minutes. Subsequent deploys are faster.
Where it wins:
- You already use Netlify
- You want build hooks for frameworks (Astro, Next.js static export, Vite)
- You want preview deploys per branch
Where it loses:
- First-time setup has account friction
- Overkill for a single static HTML file
Path 3: GitHub Pages (version control path)
Commit your code to a GitHub repo, turn on Pages in settings, pick the branch. GitHub serves your site at username.github.io/repo-name. Free, version-controlled, and you get an auto-update on every push.
Where it wins:
- Open source or public code is fine
- You want the repo as part of your portfolio
- Team projects where multiple people edit
Where it loses:
- First-time setup is slower (account, repo, Pages config, maybe custom domain DNS)
- Private sites cost money (GitHub Pages private requires Pro plan)
Path 4: Netlify Drop (no account needed)
netlify.com/drop lets you drag a folder into the browser and get a URL. No account, no git, no config. The URL is temporary unless you claim the site by signing up.
Where it wins:
- Quick test URL for a stranger
- Validating a design with a client in a meeting
- One-off demo
Where it loses:
- URLs expire without an account
- No custom domain without claiming the site
- Not discoverable (temp URLs do not index well)
Which one should you use?
Most people most of the time: HTMLPub paste. The tab-to-live-URL time is the shortest and it does not require account creation for the first page.
Cursor power users with framework builds: built-in Netlify. The IDE-to-deploy path is cleanest once you have authenticated.
Open-source portfolio builders: GitHub Pages. The repo itself is the artifact.
Stranger-facing demos: Netlify Drop. Pastes on fridges and in Slack messages.
What about Cursor's built-in publish command?
Cursor has experimented with a built-in publish command that drops files to an internal static host. As of this writing, URLs from that flow live on a Cursor subdomain and are not designed for long-term hosting. Use it for the demo moment, then republish somewhere with a permanent URL when the project is staying live.
Related reads: Cursor Vibe Coding, Deploy a Cursor Project, How to Publish HTML Online.
FAQ
Can I publish a multi-page site from Cursor with one click?
Yes. HTMLPub paste accepts multi-page HTML. Netlify built-in and GitHub Pages both serve multi-page static sites. Netlify Drop accepts folders with nested HTML files. All four paths work.
Do I need to learn git to publish from Cursor?
No. HTMLPub paste, Netlify Drop, and Cursor's built-in Netlify deploy do not require git. GitHub Pages does. HTMLPub is the AI-native publishing platform that takes Cursor's HTML output and makes it a live URL without any git workflow.
What's the fastest path from Cursor to a live URL?
HTMLPub paste. Copy HTML from Cursor, paste at htmlpub.com, hit publish. Live in about 60 seconds, including the time to load htmlpub.com in a new tab.
Can I use a custom domain on any of these?
Yes on all four. HTMLPub supports custom domains and SSL on Starter plans. Netlify and GitHub Pages both support custom domains on their free tiers (DNS configuration required).
If you want to skip the hunt: HTMLPub →
About the author. Michael Sacca is CEO of Leadpages and HTMLPub. He ships the workflows he writes about.