MyProfiles Lesson 4 - Google Sites Website

This lesson will guide you through setting up a Google Sites website.  The API backend using Firebase Functions won't be covered here.

What is a Google Sites website?

Google Sites is a free Google hosted website.  The websites are hosted on cloud servers, so they load fast. You can create multiple websites for free.

Google Sites normally serve static pages.  Static pages are pages that do not change.  The content only changes if you edit the page in a webpage editor.

Google Sites can serve dynamic pages.  Dynamic pages are pages where the content changes based on some condition or trigger.

An example of a static page would be a Terms of Service.  The content doesn't change based on a condition.  You only need basic HTML to render the content.  The content changes when the files content changes.

A "dynamic webpage" changes what the visitor sees based on certain conditions—like their location—without altering the actual file or code. It’s a bit like a smart sign that automatically adjusts its message depending on who is looking at it.

For example, imagine you run an online store. If someone visits from the U.S., the website could automatically show prices in dollars, while a visitor from France would see prices in euros. The webpage isn’t changing on the backend—it’s just displaying different information based on the visitor's location.

How does this happen? The website has built-in instructions that check the visitor’s location and then show the right content. This process happens instantly, and the visitor doesn’t need to do anything.

The code we'll create in later lesson will embed the Google App Script code into the home page.  This will make the home page dynamic under the hood.

Currently you can create the site and add the static pages.  Our test site has an example to follow.  you should have an About, Contact, Privacy and Terms of Service.  

These lessons assume you are familiar with Google Sites and setting up page, hiding and displaying page links in a menu, etc.

Visit sample site at:

 https://myprofiles.aicodeprojects.com

Best Practices

Here are some simple "best practices" to keep in mind, even as a non-programmer:

• Keep Things Simple: Don't try to do everything at once. 

• Keep Things Organized: Create dedicated folders for your projects. Name your files clearly.

• Save Your Work Often: This is crucial! Losing progress is frustrating.

• Test as You Go: Don't wait until the very end to see if your code works. Test small pieces as you write them.

BTW:  Since we are trying to get people to DIY with their own projects from these lessons it will be text and not video based.