Stanford Sites is a free, self-service tool for building and managing websites for university work. It offers design flexibility, integration with Stanford systems, and substantial functionality through Drupal. Websites are hosted in the cloud on a system designed for fast performance and high availability.
Stanford Sites is built on the latest version of Drupal. SWS releases new features, integrations, theme updates, and bug fixes every 8-10 weeks. All websites hosted on Stanford Sites receive these updates at no cost. Visit the Release Notes page for information on recent and planned updates.
Interested in building your website on Stanford Sites? Follow these quick steps to get started.
Features
| Feature | Group Websites | Personal Websites |
|---|---|---|
| Simple web interface — knowledge of HTML is not required | ✓ | ✓ |
| Responsive themes that work well on all devices | ✓ | ✓ |
| Accessible themes that support assistive technologies for people with disabilities | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drupal modules that offer added features | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integration with SAML 2.0 for access control *Note: Secure, access-limited intranets are available by request on a fee-for-service basis. Read about the intranet service. |
✓ | ✓ |
| Number of websites allowed | Unlimited | Limited to one |
| URL options | Choose a unique website name and vanity URL (must comply with the university's Name Assignment Policy) | URL includes SUNet ID username (e.g., sunetid.people.stanford.edu) |
| Annual renewals (you will receive an email when the time comes) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Archiving and retirement of un-renewed or abandoned sites | ✓ | ✓ |
Designed for
- Stanford groups, such as departments, centers, research groups, conferences, programs, labs, and student groups
- Individual faculty, students, and staff
Requirements
A full-service SUNet ID
Data security
According to Stanford data risk classifications, this service is for low and moderate-risk data. It is not approved for high-risk data.
Stanford Web Services maintains the Stanford Sites platform following the minimum security standards as detailed below:
- Stanford Security Standards for Applications
- Stanford Security Standards for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)
Please refer to these policies for additional guidance:
Automated backups
Acquia retains daily database backups for three days. In addition, Stanford retains backups in Stanford-managed AWS for up to 180 days.
Automated scanning tools
SiteImprove accessibility scanning can and should be used on your production website on Stanford Sites.
Use of other automated scanning tools (Qualys, etc.) is not permitted because it may have a negative impact on the performance of this shared hosting service. Please contact SWS for assistance if you want to use these scanning services on a test/development version of your site.
Rates
Free of charge
Get started
Get help
If you need help setting up your site, request assistance from Stanford Web Services. This support is available at below-market rates.
Other options:
Learn more
Knowledge articles and user guide
- Get Started: how to start a website on the Stanford Sites service
- Stanford Sites User Guide: detailed instructions on site-building and content maintenance
- Stanford Sites knowledge articles on the Services portal
Training opportunities
- Sign up for the introduction to Stanford Sites Drupal training (approx. monthly)
- Technology Training
- LinkedIn Learning
Community of Practice
See also
Not what you’re looking for? See all options for hosting and publishing a website at Stanford.
