1. Setup Guide ‐ Beginner
Saussure is a tool meant to be used in two parts -- the tool itself and the data.
It is a content management system, or CMS. This means it's a tool focused on managing external content -- in this case, files that hold data regarding your characters.
Your actual data is a series of Markdown files within what is called a "static site generator", or SSG. These files are compiled by a piece of software to create static .html files that can be hosted any number of places.
Saussure can be used completely free. There are tons of places that host static html for free -- some of these include Vercel, Netlify, GitHub Pages, Cloudflare Pages, Neocities, and more. I will cover some of these options in this guide.
Start by creating your own GitHub account, if you don't have one already. Next, go to this repository and click "Fork" in the top right.
Call it whatever you'd like, but pick something logical and easy to remember. Make sure you check public repository.
I prefer Vercel for my hosting, so that's the option I'll be using for this guide. Please view the section on alternative platforms if you would like to use something else.
First, you'll need to create an account on Vercel. Check "Hobby" plan, and put in your name (it doesn't have to be your real one).
Two factor authentication is required by Vercel, so you will then need to put in your phone number. Don't worry, it's safe!
Select "GitHub" for your git provider. Authorize your GitHub account and click continue.
After paging through those screens, you'll then be taken to this page. Click the "Install" button.
Click "Install" again on the popup that appears.
You should see the repository you just created appear. Click "Import."
You don't need to change anything in this window. Just make sure it shows "Eleventy" in the framework preset. Click "Deploy."
It may take some time to load. Be patient!
You'll eventually be taken to this page. Congratulations! Your character storage website is live. :)
Scroll down, and click "Continue to Dashboard".
You should then be taken to this page. The highlighted text is the domain name of your live website. Click it, and you'll be taken to your empty website!
If you would like to change the domain name, select "settings" in the top navigation.
Click "Domains" on the right hand side.
Click "Edit" next to the current domain name.
Change the text in the highlighted field to whatever you'd like. Don't change any other settings.
Click "Add".
And you're done! Your site is now accessible at the new domain. If you would like to have a non-Vercel domain, you'll need to purchase your own, which is beyond the scope of this beginner guide.
Since we're using GitHub, we don't need to host our own instance of Saussure.
Go to https://saussure.vercel.app and click "Sign In With GitHub".
Much like you did with Vercel earlier, click "Authorize".
You should be redirected. If not, click "Sign In With GitHub" again.
Now, click "Settings" in the top right. Your UI may look slightly different, as this is an early version of Saussure.
Most fields should be pre-filled. If not, click the dropdown and select "11ty" so that the fields populate.
Next, we will be filling in the empty fields below.
-
Repo Name: The name of the repository you set up in step 1 (in our example,
saussure-test). - Owner Name: The username of your GitHub account.
-
Branch: Enter
main.
It should look something like this when fully filled in:
Your site is now connected to Saussure!
Start by creating a new character. Click the "Character" tab and then "Add New Character".
If you're coming from Toyhouse, most of the fields are self-explanatory. The difference is that you have a WYSIWYG ("what you see is what you get") editor available for the description.
"Fields" are custom fields where you can put anything you'd like, such as your character's age, pronouns, height, etc. The default repo is not equipped to handle any custom fields out of the box -- see the section on Editing the Template to make custom fields appear on your site.
Here is an example filled out:
Click "Save" and you will be brought back to the characters page. You may have to click "Refresh List" a few times until your new file appears.
It may take a minute to deploy, but go back to your live website.
Click on the "Characters" tab. You should now see your character!
Editing images and literature is very similar, and (depending on your version of the template) will appear on the linked character's page.
You're all done! Pat yourself on the back, and go forth adding your characters/images/literature 🥇
At this point, you may want to edit the template to add custom fields or your own styling.