Getting Started

This page walks through the shortest path from a folder of media to a generated cr4te site.

Install

From a local checkout:

git clone https://github.com/vger-6/cr4te.git
cd cr4te
pip install -e .

For development tools:

pip install -e ".[dev]"

Try the Bundled Example

Before pointing cr4te at your own archive, build the example library included in the repo:

cr4te build -i data/example/Musicians -o output/example-site --domain music

Open the generated site directly:

output/example-site/index.html

Or serve it locally:

cd output/example-site
python -m http.server 8000

Then visit http://localhost:8000.

Prepare a Library

Create one folder that contains creator folders:

Musicians/
|-- Astra Vey/
|   |-- portrait.png
|   |-- README.md
|   |-- cr4te.json
|   |-- Glass Circuit/
|   |   |-- cover.png
|   |   |-- README.md
|   |   |-- cr4te.json
|   |   |-- 01 - Chrome Pulse.mp3
|-- Marin & The Mesa/
|   |-- cr4te.json
|   |-- Halfway to Tam/
|   |   |-- cover.png

You do not have to write metadata file by hand before the first build. The build command creates missing cr4te.json files and adds missing editable fields.

Build

cr4te build -i path/to/Musicians -o path/to/site --domain music

The build command:

1. Loads the default configuration.
2. Applies an optional config file and CLI overrides.
3. Discovers built-in themes and an optional custom theme folder.
4. Reconciles creator and project metadata files.
5. Indexes the media library.
6. Renders the static site.

Open the Site

Use --open to open the generated index.html after a successful build:

cr4te build -i path/to/Musicians -o path/to/site --domain music --open

You can also open path/to/site/index.html directly.

For the most consistent browser behavior, serve the output folder:

cd path/to/site
python -m http.server 8000

Then visit http://localhost:8000.

First Files to Edit

After the first build, edit:

• Creator cr4te.json files for display names, aliases, tags, and person/collaboration metadata.
• Project cr4te.json files for display titles, release dates, tags, and facets.
• Creator and project README.md files for long-form descriptions.

Run build again whenever you update files.