Ask HN: I bought a website, how do I edit it?
I recently bought a small business and the seller gave me the info to keep the domain active and then gave me a bunch of files for the website. I told the hosting company "I have these files, how do I load up the website?" They said go to this folder and upload your files. After I did that, the website was up and running. Now I want to change the website, but don't know how to get started or where to get information. Was hoping someone here could point me in the right direction. TIA
Let's think about it.
If your website runs by uploading the files, that means the content must be determined by the files.
Use youtube/chatgpt: - "how do static websites work" - "how to code files on my computer"
Step 1. ALWAYS MAKE A BACKUP! (copy the folder somewhere safe). Or use git - you can learn the basics in 15 minutes.
Step 2. Edit the files. 1) First, you need a way to edit the files. Use Cursor. 2) If it's some text you want to change, use Ctrl+F to find the text & replace it with your thing. 3) If it's something else, you can ask the AI to change it for you.
Step 3. After changing your files, you can upload them to the hosting company again. You should see the changes!
Hope that is enough to get started!
The file extensions and file or folder names should tell you what kind of website you're dealing with. Once you know that, it becomes a question of editing that specific kind of website.
It might have some built-in editing functionality, as 'markx2 suggests. Or it might require editing code, in which case hiring someone to do it for you, as 'nobankai says, would get the job done quickest.
But if you want to learn how to do it yourself, you should also be able to find editor software and tutorials with a targeted search for that kind of website.
Don't try to do it yourself. Hire someone to take a look and explain things to you. You might end up making things worse, such as taking the site down and/or losing data.
You don't need files, you need a username and a password.
Then try going to https://your-domain/cpanel to see if they use that.
Or use an FTP client to connect.
If you don't know the answer, it's time to hire an engineer.
you can learn how to edit it, or you can ask someone who knows to edit it for you