Getting Started with GetPelican: Basic Commands

If you’re ready to dive into the world of static site generation with GetPelican, here are some basic command-line instructions to get you started. These commands will help you set up your Pelican site quickly and efficiently.

Basic Command Line Instructions

1. Install Pelican: Make sure you have Python and pip installed. Then, run the following command to install Pelican and its dependencies:

   pip install pelican markdown
   

2. Create a New Pelican Project: Use the following command to create a new project folder:

   pelican-quickstart
   

   This will prompt you for some basic configuration options like site title, author name, and more.

3. Write Content: Create a new Markdown file in the content directory. For example:

   echo "# My First Post" > content/my_first_post.md
   

4. Generate the Site: To generate your static site from the content you’ve created, run:

   pelican content
   

5. Preview Your Site: To preview your site locally, you can run:

   pelican --listen
   

   Then open your browser and go to http://localhost:8000.

Comparing GetPelican with Jekyll

Now that you’ve seen the basic commands for GetPelican, let’s compare these with Jekyll to highlight their similarities and differences.

Installation

• Pelican:
  • Install via pip: pip install pelican markdown.
• Jekyll:
  • Requires Ruby and can be installed using gem:

    gem install bundler jekyll
    

Project Creation

• Pelican:
  • Use pelican-quickstart to set up a new project.
• Jekyll:
  • Create a new site with:

    jekyll new my-awesome-site
    

Writing Content

• Pelican:
  • Create Markdown files in the content directory.
• Jekyll:
  • Write content in Markdown files within the _posts directory, following a specific naming convention (e.g., YYYY-MM-DD-title.md).

Site Generation

• Pelican:
  • Generate the site with pelican content.
• Jekyll:
  • Build the site using:

    jekyll build
    

Previewing the Site

• Pelican:
  • Use pelican --listen to preview your site at http://localhost:8000.
• Jekyll:
  • Preview with:

    jekyll serve
    

    This will also run a local server at http://localhost:4000.

Summary of Differences

• Language: Pelican uses Python, while Jekyll is built with Ruby.
• Hosting: Jekyll has native integration with GitHub Pages, making it easier for deployment, while Pelican is more flexible with hosting options.
• Content Management: Pelican supports reStructuredText in addition to Markdown, whereas Jekyll primarily focuses on Markdown.

Conclusion

Both GetPelican and Jekyll offer powerful features for static site generation, each with its own strengths and ideal use cases. Whether you prefer the Python ecosystem or the Ruby framework, both tools provide a solid foundation for creating and managing static websites. Choose the one that aligns best with your workflow and preferences!