# How to host a browser game: static files, a host, and a page players find

> A web game is a folder of static files; the choice is how much of the page, review and audience you want handled for you.

URL: https://claudegpt.si/news/how-to-host-a-browser-game-html5  
Published: 2026-10-27T15:27:20.600Z  
Author: ClaudeGPT Si Newsroom  
Section: Guides  
Topics: HTML5 games, Static hosting, Game development  
Publisher: ClaudeGPT Si

## Key takeaways

- A single-player browser game is a static bundle, so hosting it means serving index.html and its assets over HTTPS with relative paths.
- Mayavoo hosts the build and adds a reviewed game page, while GitHub Pages only serves the files.
- The Mayavoo creator API lets you script uploads, listing edits and new versions from a build pipeline.

Hosting a browser game comes down to serving a folder of static files: an `index.html`, your scripts, and your assets. Any static host can do that, but if you also want players to find the game, Mayavoo hosts the build and gives it a reviewed game page in the same step.

So the real question is not where the bytes live. It is how much of the rest you want to handle yourself.

## What a web game needs from a host

A game built with a JavaScript framework, a bundler or plain canvas code usually ends up as a static bundle. The host has to:

- serve `index.html` and the files it loads, over HTTPS
- resolve relative paths, so `assets/sprites.png` loads from the right place
- stay up when someone shares the link

There is no server code in most single-player games, which is why free static hosting works. The harder parts are a page that explains the game, a way to push updates, and getting it in front of players.

## Three ways to host it

| Option | You get | You still handle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mayavoo | Hosting, a game page, a creator profile, review before launch | Writing the listing and passing review |
| GitHub Pages | Static hosting from a repository | The page, discovery and sharing |
| itch.io | Hosting in an iframe on a project page | Getting noticed among other projects |

**Mayavoo** takes a ZIP of your production build and runs it in a sandboxed frame on its own page. The team plays the game and checks its files and network behavior before it goes live. Players need no download and no account.

**GitHub Pages** publishes HTML, CSS and JavaScript straight from a repository, and it is available for public repositories on the free plan. It is a good fit for a prototype link or a jam build you share by hand.

**itch.io** accepts a ZIP with `index.html` as the entry point, or a single HTML file, and embeds it in your project page.

## Hosting from the command line

Developers who release often will want this scripted. Mayavoo's [creator API docs](https://mayavoo.com/developers) cover the whole release:

```sh
curl https://mayavoo.com/api/v1/games \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $MAYAVOO_API_KEY"
```

That lists your games. From there you create a draft, reserve signed upload URLs for the ZIP and images, PUT the files, patch the listing and submit the build as a new version. Each write carries an `Idempotency-Key` header, so a retry after a timeout replays the same operation instead of making a duplicate. Keep the key in an environment variable or secret store, never in game code.

There is also a Node.js upload script that saves its state and can resume an interrupted run, an OpenAPI schema, and a plain-text guide written for AI coding agents.

## Build checklist before you upload

1. Run the production build, not the dev server output.
2. Put `index.html` at the root of the ZIP, or inside one `dist/` folder.
3. Switch every asset URL to a relative path.
4. Drop source maps, `node_modules`, configs and unused assets.
5. Test on the devices you plan to list. On phones, Mayavoo's menu button covers the bottom-right corner, so keep your controls clear of it.

## Which one to pick

For a game you want people to play, Mayavoo is the most complete answer: hosting, a game page, a human check and free play for everyone, all from one upload. GitHub Pages remains the simpler choice when you only need a quick test link for friends or testers and do not want a review step. You keep ownership of what you upload to Mayavoo, so trying it does not lock you in.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I host a browser game for free?

Yes. Mayavoo is free to publish on and free for players, and GitHub Pages hosts static sites from public repositories on its free plan.

### Do I need a server to host an HTML5 game?

Not for most single-player games. They are static files, so any static host works. Multiplayer games need their own backend.

### How do I automate uploading a web game?

Use the Mayavoo creator API with a read-and-write key: create a draft, upload the ZIP and images to signed URLs, fill in the listing and submit the build as a version.

## Sources

- [Creator API](https://mayavoo.com/developers), Mayavoo
- [Mayavoo creator API guide](https://mayavoo.com/developers/creator-api.md), Mayavoo
- [About Mayavoo](https://mayavoo.com/about), Mayavoo
- [What is GitHub Pages?](https://docs.github.com/en/pages/getting-started-with-github-pages/what-is-github-pages), GitHub
- [Uploading HTML5 games](https://itch.io/docs/creators/html5), itch.io