# Set up your URL

GitHub Pages gives you [a few options](https://docs.github.com/en/pages/getting-started-with-github-pages/about-github-pages#types-of-github-pages-sites) for where your live site appears:

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Custom Domain (recommended)" %}
Example URL:\
`your-custom-domain.com`

\
Purchasing a custom domain is highly recommended. It looks professional, it's easier to remember and type, and it's easy and cheap to set up (`.com`s are usually only about $10 per year).

To set this up, follow the [instructions here](https://docs.github.com/en/github/working-with-github-pages/managing-a-custom-domain-for-your-github-pages-site#configuring-an-apex-domain). In summary:

1. Purchase a domain name from a reputable service.
2. Point your domain name provider to GitHub Pages using an `A` record. This is slightly different for each provider; they should have their own instructions on how to do it.
3. Set the `custom domain` field in your repo's "⚙️ Settings".
   {% endtab %}

{% tab title="User/org Site" %}
Example URL:\
`your-lab.github.io`

\
...where `your-lab` is your GitHub user/organization name

To set this up, rename your repo to `your-lab.github.io` in your repo "⚙️ Settings", and that's it!
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Project site (default)" %}
Example URL:\
`your-lab.github.io/your-lab-website`

\
...where `your-lab` is your GitHub user/organization name, and `your-lab-website` is the repo name you chose.

This is where your live site appears by default when you enable GitHub Pages.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

After making any needed changes above, wait a bit (\~30 seconds to 3 minutes) for your live site to redeploy to its new location. (You can check your repo's "▶️ Actions" for status.)


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://greene-lab.gitbook.io/lab-website-template-docs/getting-started/set-up-your-url.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.