How to use the command "zola" (with examples)

Zola is a static site generator that allows users to create and build websites using a simple command-line interface. With everything built-in, it provides users with a straightforward way to generate static websites with ease.

Use case 1: Creating the directory structure

Code:

zola init my_site

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to start a new Zola project. By using the zola init command, you can quickly set up the necessary directory structure for your site. The command will create a new directory named “my_site” with the required files and folders.

Explanation:

• zola init: This command initializes a new Zola project by creating the necessary directory structure and files.
• my_site: This is the name of the directory you want to create for your Zola project.

Example output:

Creating project at "my_site"
my_site/theme/
my_site/templates/
my_site/content/
my_site/config.toml

Use case 2: Building the site

Code:

zola build

Motivation: Once you have set up your Zola project and added content and templates, you need to build the site to generate the final static files. The zola build command comes in handy in such scenarios.

Explanation:

• zola build: This command builds the entire site and generates the static files.

Example output:

Building site...
[INFO  zola::site] Cleaning output directory
...
[INFO  zola::site] build finished in 233ms

Use case 3: Building the site into a different directory

Code:

zola build --output-dir path/to/output_directory/

Motivation: In some cases, you may want to build the site into a different directory than the default one (“public”). This use case is helpful when you want to separate the source code from the generated static files.

Explanation:

• zola build: This command builds the entire site and generates the static files.
• --output-dir: This argument specifies the directory where the built site will be stored.
• path/to/output_directory/: This is the path to the directory where you want to output the built site.

Example output:

Building site...
[INFO  zola::site] Cleaning output directory
...
[INFO  zola::site] build finished in 233ms

Use case 4: Building and serving the site

Code:

zola serve

Motivation: During development or testing, it is often necessary to preview the site before deploying it. The zola serve command allows you to build and serve the site locally, providing a convenient way to preview the changes made to the site.

Explanation:

• zola serve: This command builds the site and serves it using a local server.

Example output:

Building site...
[INFO  zola::site] Cleaning output directory
...
[INFO  zola::site] build finished in 233ms
serving at http://127.0.0.1:1111

Use case 5: Checking all pages without writing results to disk

Code:

zola check

Motivation: In some cases, you may want to perform a check on all pages of your site without writing the results to disk. This use case is useful for detecting any issues or errors in your content or templates.

Explanation:

• zola check: This command checks all pages just like the build command, but without writing any of the results to disk.

Example output:

Checking (0%):
Checking (100%):
No issues found!

Conclusion:

In this article, we have explored various use cases of the zola command. We have seen how to create the directory structure, build the site, specify a custom output directory, serve the site locally, and check all pages without writing the results to disk. By understanding and utilizing these commands, you can effectively generate and manage static websites using Zola.