Build your first Foundry site

Foundry creates ordinary, customer-owned Hugo sites. The normal v1 path uses Hugo Extended, Go, Git, and the foundry CLI. It does not require Node.js, npm, or pnpm.

What You Choose

A new site begins with a useful sequence, not a generic starter repository:

1. Site Type — the job the whole site must do.
2. Site Blueprint — the routes, navigation intent, Page Starters, and quality profile for that Site Type.
3. Creative direction — a joined recommendation you can compare.
4. Theme Family — reusable art direction and responsive behavior.
5. Customer Brand System — the customer’s colors, type, shape, voice, and accessibility rules.
6. Page Starters and Page Flows — governed ways to create individual pages and arrange their Sections.

The word starter is therefore page-level language in Foundry v1. The primary whole-site action is choosing a Site Type and Theme Family direction. The separate reference-site repository remains useful for compatibility proof; it is not the default creation experience.

Prerequisites

• Hugo Extended
• Go 1.22 or newer
• Git
• a released foundry CLI, or an approved Foundry Core checkout

Install an immutable CLI release with the version named by the current Foundry bundle:

go install github.com/jerrybroughton/likestyle-foundry-core/cmd/foundry@<version>
foundry version

1. Compare Site Directions

foundry new-site --list

The list explains each Site Type and shows its creative directions. Every direction names its Theme Family and fictional reference Brand System. Compare at least two before choosing.

The first v1 executable paths are:

• Local Service
• Creative Portfolio

Concierge Property remains visible as planned until its route-floor scaffold is complete. Foundry does not disguise an incomplete path as ready.

2. Preview Without Writing

foundry new-site ./northline-site \
  --site-type local-service \
  --direction local-service-clear

The default is a dry run. Review the destination, Site Blueprint, Theme Family, reference Brand System, foundation files, and Page Starter routes.

When using an unreleased Core checkout, provide the immutable dependency the generated site should use:

go run ./cmd/foundry new-site ../northline-site \
  --site-type local-service \
  --direction local-service-clear \
  --core-version <released-version>

3. Create The Hugo Site

Repeat the reviewed command with --write and real initial values:

foundry new-site ./northline-site \
  --site-type local-service \
  --direction local-service-clear \
  --title "Northline Home Services" \
  --business-name "Northline Home Services" \
  --write

cd ./northline-site
hugo server --buildDrafts

Open http://localhost:1313.

The repository contains normal Hugo configuration, Markdown, CSS, and Go module declarations. There is no package.json, pnpm lockfile, or Node build step.

4. Replace The Reference Material

The generated site is deliberately draft material. Before publish, replace:

• the reference Brand System tokens
• fictional business, person, service, location, and contact facts
• sample copy and media
• claims, credentials, prices, policies, and availability

The Theme Family can remain while the Brand System changes. Art direction and customer identity are independent layers.

5. Explore The Visual Library

Use the Documentation site’s Explore Foundry guide to compare real, source-linked images for:

• Theme Families and Customer Brand Systems
• Site Types, Site Blueprints, and creative directions
• Page Starters and Page Flows
• Section Families, Section Types, and Section Styles
• Blocks, variants, content fields, and design Controls

The guide distinguishes exact visual evidence from a Control merely shown in the context of its owning Block. It also reports missing image coverage instead of silently substituting unrelated screenshots.

For implementation contracts, use Core’s foundry inspect commands and Visual Example manifest. Images explain; source and manifests remain authoritative.

6. Add Or Change A Page

foundry inspect blueprints --json
foundry new-page \
  --blueprint service \
  --site . \
  --title "Primary Service" \
  --description "A clear, owner-approved service description." \
  --dry-run \
  --include-content \
  --json

Review first, then repeat with --write. Existing files are refused unless --force is explicit.

7. Validate And Build

foundry inspect --site .
foundry check --site .
hugo --gc --minify

The finished static site is in public/. Host it anywhere static files can be served. Foundry Control and LikeStyle hosting are optional managed layers, not runtime prerequisites.

Before a release or upgrade:

foundry release-check --site . --json

Then review the important routes at desktop, mobile, and reflow widths before publishing.

Next Guides

• Theming
• Terminology
• Content Creation
• Compatibility
• Migration
• Foundry Start Here