Build and start Zotonic
Compile Zotonic, start it, check the status page, and continue to your first site.
Complete one installation route first. For a native or Nix setup, the tools and database connection should now be ready. Container users whose node is already running can go straight to Create your first site.
1. Build
From the Zotonic repository root, as your normal user:
make
The first build downloads dependencies and compiles Zotonic. Wait for the successful-compilation message. If it fails, resolve the first build error before continuing; a missing compiler or wrong Erlang version is a setup issue.
2. Start
For the first walkthrough, start in the background so the same terminal remains available:
bin/zotonic start
bin/zotonic status
Expect a running node and sites with their states. Open the local status site. This is the installation's management page, not your new website. The initial HTTPS certificate is self-signed; accept it only for this local development address.
If the node is already running, use status rather than starting a second instance. If startup fails, check whether ports 8000/8443 are occupied and read the reported log location.
3. Create a site
Continue with Create your first site. Keep using this repository root for bin/zotonic commands.
Foreground development and stopping
For startup output and an interactive Erlang shell, use bin/zotonic debug instead of start, with Zotonic stopped first. Run further OS commands from a second terminal in the same environment. Do not type shell commands such as bin/zotonic status at the Erlang prompt.
Use bin/zotonic stop to stop this installation. Attach to an existing node with bin/zotonic shell; Ctrl-C twice detaches that remote shell without stopping the node. See startup modes for details.