Quick start

Install DevLab first. Run the commands below from the new site's directory, not from the theme repository.

Site configuration

Create zola.toml in the site root:

base_url = "https://example.com"
title = "My site"
description = "Project notes."
default_language = "en"
theme = "devlab-theme"
compile_sass = true
build_search_index = false
generate_feeds = false

[markdown.highlighting]
light_theme = "github-light"
dark_theme = "github-dark"

Set base_url to the deployment address before publishing. title supplies the header and footer name. description is the metadata fallback for pages without their own description. Set default_language to the language of your content.

Zola settings belong in this file. Optional extra.devlab settings inherit from theme.toml. Omit fields whose defaults fit the site. Search and feeds are disabled in this configuration.

First page

Create the content directory:

mkdir -p content

Create content/_index.md:

+++
title = "Home"
+++

## Project notes

This site uses DevLab and Zola.

The default homepage renders the front-matter title and the Markdown body. Change them independently of the site's title in zola.toml.

Check and preview

zola check --skip-external-links
zola build
zola serve

zola build writes the deployable site to public/. Open the local address reported by zola serve. If another preview is running, choose a free port, for example zola serve --port 1112.

Add content