To share a static HTML file online, name the entry page index.html, upload it to Dropley, then send the live URL to the people who need to see it. You do not need to set up a GitHub repository, web server, or deployment project for a finished static page.

This guide covers the simplest case: one HTML page. If your page uses local CSS, JavaScript, images, or fonts, upload the complete folder or a ZIP instead so those files can be served together.

1. Prepare your entry page

Your page must be named index.html. A self-contained page is the easiest format to share because its styles and scripts live in the same file.

Here is a small example you can save as index.html and upload as-is:

123456789101112131415<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
  <title>Project update</title>
  <style>
    body { font-family: system-ui, sans-serif; margin: 3rem; }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Project update</h1>
  <p>This page is ready to share.</p>
</body>
</html>

Open Dropley.
Drag your index.html file anywhere onto the homepage canvas, click it and select the file from your computer, or press Tab and then Enter to open the file picker.
Wait for publishing to finish.
Copy the resulting URL and share it in a message, document, or email.

The URL shows the rendered page in a browser; recipients do not need your local files or development environment.

Choose the right upload format

Your project	Upload it as	Why
One self-contained page	A loose `index.html` file	The HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are all in one file.
A page with local assets	A folder or ZIP project	Keeps relative paths to CSS, JavaScript, images, and fonts intact.
A generated static site	A folder or ZIP project	Publishes the finished static output, including its entry page and assets.

Requirements

Use relative paths for any local asset references. For example, use images/chart.png rather than a local computer path or an absolute site-root path. Dropley automatically uses the shallowest matching index.html; there is no entry-point setting during upload.

index.html can be at the top of a folder or nested inside it. If a project contains multiple entry pages, make sure the shallowest one is the page you intend to share.

When to upload a folder or ZIP instead

Upload a folder or ZIP when your page references files that are not embedded in the HTML. Keep the folder structure exactly as your HTML expects:

123456my-site/
├── index.html
├── styles.css
├── app.js
└── images/
    └── chart.png

Then reference those files with relative paths such as styles.css, app.js, and images/chart.png. See Publishing ZIP Projects for supported file types and project-specific guidance.

Best Practices

DOCTYPE and Meta Tags

Always include a <!DOCTYPE html> declaration and character encoding:

1234567891011<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
  <title>My Page</title>
</head>
<body>
  <!-- Your content -->
</body>
</html>

Self-Contained Assets

If you're uploading a single HTML file, any CSS or JavaScript should be inline or linked via CDN:

12345678<style>
  /* Inline styles */
  body { font-family: system-ui, sans-serif; }
</style>
<script>
  // Inline script
  console.log("Hello from Dropley!");
</script>

Or use CDN-hosted libraries:

12<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/water.css@2/out/water.css">
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/confetti-js@0.0.18/dist/index.min.js"></script>

Multi-File Projects

If your page references local CSS, JS, or images, upload the whole folder structure as a ZIP project instead.

Known Limitations

Large files may take longer to upload
HTML files with absolute local paths (file:///) won't work in the browser after publishing
JavaScript that relies on server-side processing won't work

For upload-size and expiry details, see service limits. If your page loads without styles, images, or scripts, use the checks in Troubleshooting.

How to Share an HTML File Online