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Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Hugo Website

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Building a Website from Any Hugo Template
#

Creating a website with Hugo can be simple β€” but using themes like Docsy, Blowfish, or PaperMod often adds complexity due to things like modular configuration, asset pipelines, and Tailwind or PostCSS integrations. This article walks you through everything you need to get started using any Hugo theme, with Docsy as the working example.


πŸ“Œ Prerequisites
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  • Install Hugo Extended (required for themes like Docsy)
  • Git
  • Node.js (for themes using PostCSS/Tailwind)
  • A code editor (e.g., VS Code)

πŸ”§ Step 1: Create a New Hugo Site
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hugo new site my-docsy-site
cd my-docsy-site

πŸ“₯ Step 2: Add the Theme
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We’ll vendorize the theme (clone into themes/):

git init
git submodule add https://github.com/google/docsy.git themes/docsy

This keeps the theme tracked as a submodule, so you can pull updates easily.


🧩 Step 3: Add the Example Site
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Docsy provides an example under exampleSite/. Copy its contents into your project:

cp -r themes/docsy/exampleSite/* .

Now your project has everything needed: content, config, assets, etc.


πŸ—‚οΈ Step 4: Understand the Folder Structure
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FolderPurpose
content/Markdown content
layouts/Custom templates (overrides)
static/Static files (images, JS, CSS)
themes/docsy/The theme source code
config/_default/Modular configuration files
archetypes/Blueprint for new content
assets/SCSS/CSS and other pipeline assets

βš™οΈ Step 5: Configure Your Site
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Docsy (and modern themes) use modular config files inside config/_default/:

  • config.toml: base URL, theme, basic metadata
  • params.toml: theme-specific settings
  • menus.toml: site menus
  • languages.toml: multilingual support
  • markup.toml: markdown rendering settings

Example config/_default/config.toml
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baseURL = "https://yourdomain.com/"
languageCode = "en-us"
title = "My Docsy Site"
theme = "docsy"

πŸ’„ Step 6: Customize Styles (If Needed)
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If the theme uses Tailwind or PostCSS, you’ll need to run:

npm install

(Usually done inside the root or theme folder, depending on package.json location.)

You can now add your custom styles to assets/scss/custom.scss or assets/css/custom.css, and configure them via postcss.config.js or theme overrides.


πŸš€ Step 7: Run the Site
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Use:

hugo server

Optionally:

hugo server --baseURL http://localhost:1313

This starts the site locally and uses live reload.


🌐 Step 8: Deploy to Netlify
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  1. Push your site to a Git repo.
  2. Connect the repo to Netlify.
  3. Use these Netlify settings:
Build Command: hugo
Publish Directory: public
HUGO_VERSION: <your-version>

Add a netlify.toml (optional)
#

[build]
  publish = "public"
  command = "hugo"

[context.production.environment]
  HUGO_VERSION = "0.125.4"

🧠 Key Takeaways for Any Hugo Theme
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ConceptWhat to Know
themes/Vendorize the theme (clone or submodule)
config/_default/Use modular configs for clarity
npm installRequired if theme uses Tailwind/PostCSS
CustomizingOverride files in layouts/, assets/, static/
DeploymentSet correct baseURL, use absolute URLs

πŸ§ͺ Bonus: Test Multiple Themes
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You can test multiple themes in the same project by switching theme = in your config.toml, assuming they follow Hugo standards.


βœ… Conclusion
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Once you understand how Hugo themes are structured and configured, you can confidently work with any theme β€” whether it’s Docsy for documentation sites or Blowfish/PaperMod for blogs. Modular configuration, asset pipelines, and theme overrides are key tools in your toolkit.

Dr. Hari Thapliyaal's avatar

Dr. Hari Thapliyaal

Dr. Hari Thapliyal is a seasoned professional and prolific blogger with a multifaceted background that spans the realms of Data Science, Project Management, and Advait-Vedanta Philosophy. Holding a Doctorate in AI/NLP from SSBM (Geneva, Switzerland), Hari has earned Master's degrees in Computers, Business Management, Data Science, and Economics, reflecting his dedication to continuous learning and a diverse skill set. With over three decades of experience in management and leadership, Hari has proven expertise in training, consulting, and coaching within the technology sector. His extensive 16+ years in all phases of software product development are complemented by a decade-long focus on course design, training, coaching, and consulting in Project Management. In the dynamic field of Data Science, Hari stands out with more than three years of hands-on experience in software development, training course development, training, and mentoring professionals. His areas of specialization include Data Science, AI, Computer Vision, NLP, complex machine learning algorithms, statistical modeling, pattern identification, and extraction of valuable insights. Hari's professional journey showcases his diverse experience in planning and executing multiple types of projects. He excels in driving stakeholders to identify and resolve business problems, consistently delivering excellent results. Beyond the professional sphere, Hari finds solace in long meditation, often seeking secluded places or immersing himself in the embrace of nature.

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