# Installation

> How to install the VaraPress theme in your Zola project.

Canonical HTML: https://press.varavel.com/docs/getting-started/installation/
Markdown: https://press.varavel.com/docs/getting-started/installation/index.md

VaraPress is a Zola theme. You install it inside an existing Zola site, enable it in `zola.toml`, and then let the theme provide the templates, assets, and shortcodes.

## Requirements

- Zola `>= 0.22.1`
- Git, if you install the theme as a submodule

## Add the Theme

From the root of your Zola project, add VaraPress under `themes/varapress`:

```bash
git submodule add https://github.com/varavelio/varapress.git themes/varapress
```

If you do not use Git submodules, copy or vendor the theme into the same `themes/varapress` directory. The directory name matters because it is the value Zola reads from `theme = "varapress"`.

## Enable the Theme

Set the theme in your site's `zola.toml`:

```toml
theme = "varapress"
```

Keep your own site content in the root project's `content/` directory. The theme files in `themes/varapress/` should be treated as upstream theme code.

## Bundled Assets

VaraPress includes its frontend assets already bundled in `static/`. A project consuming the theme does not need a frontend package manager, an asset build step, or additional dependencies. Zola can serve and build the site directly after the theme is enabled.

If you are contributing to the theme itself, use the repository development workflow. That is separate from consuming VaraPress in a normal Zola project.

## Verify the Site

Run Zola from your project root:

```bash
zola serve
```

For production checks, use:

```bash
zola check
```

## Next Steps

After installation, configure your metadata, logos, highlighting, and content strategy in [Configuration](/docs/getting-started/configuration/).