Website Roadmap: Transition `qmcpy.org` from WordPress to GitHub Pages

[fjhickernell]

Background

The qmcpy.org domain has been migrated from WordPress hosting to GitHub Pages.

Current status

• Domain registration remains with WordPress.com (Automattic) through August 2028.

• DNS continues to be managed by WordPress.com.

• WordPress Business hosting is no longer required.

• GitHub Pages has been configured to serve qmcpy.org as the project's website.

• HTTPS certificate provisioning has been initiated by GitHub Pages.

• A new repository (QMCSoftware/qmcpy-website) was created to host the website.

• The current homepage is simply the repository README and serves only as a placeholder.

The existing project documentation remains unchanged at

https://qmcsoftware.github.io/QMCSoftware/

Motivation

The website should become the public face of the project rather than simply exposing the documentation.

Recent discussions have explored branding the Python package as QMCPy, allowing room for future sibling projects such as QMCJulia.

The website architecture should accommodate whichever direction the project ultimately chooses.

Current Infrastructure

Domain

• Domain: qmcpy.org

• Registrar: WordPress.com

• DNS: WordPress.com

Website hosting

• GitHub Pages

• Repository: QMCSoftware/qmcpy-website

Existing documentation

https://qmcsoftware.github.io/QMCSoftware/

Questions for discussion

1. Purpose of the homepage

Should qmcpy.org primarily be:

• the QMCPy project homepage?

• a landing page for all QMCSoftware projects?

• simply redirect to the documentation?

2. Website technology

Choose an implementation approach for the project website.

Possible options include:

• Quarto
• plain HTML
• another static site generator
• reuse the existing documentation toolchain

The choice should consider long-term maintainability, contributor familiarity, and integration with the project's documentation and software ecosystem.

3. Website organization

Possible top-level navigation:

• Home

• Installation

• Documentation

• Tutorials

• Examples

• Publications

• Contributors

• News

• GitHub

Potential future links:

• QMCPy (Python)

• QMCJulia

• Other implementations

4. Documentation strategy

Should the existing documentation remain at

https://qmcsoftware.github.io/QMCSoftware/

or should the new website simply link to the existing documentation?

5. Branding

Pending discussion:

• Continue using QMCSoftware

• Rename project to QMCPy

• Relationship between QMCPy, QMCJulia, and the GitHub organization

Initial tasks

• Replace README placeholder homepage.

• Decide on overall website architecture.

• Choose homepage design.

• Decide whether to implement the website in Quarto or reuse the existing documentation toolchain.

• Add navigation to the existing documentation.

• Add links to the GitHub organization and repositories.

• Add installation instructions.

• Add project overview.

• Verify HTTPS enforcement after certificate provisioning.

• Test both qmcpy.org and www.qmcpy.org.

• Decide who will maintain the project website.

Long-term vision

The website should become the central public entry point for the project while allowing the documentation, software repositories, and future language implementations (e.g., QMCPy and QMCJulia) to evolve independently.

Goal

Reach consensus on the long-term public website architecture before investing significant effort in implementation.