Building from Scratch

This guide walks you through building a complete Pala site from scratch. You’ll create multiple page types, build several blocks, and set up a site that’s ready for content editors to use.

If you’re looking for a faster introduction, check out the Quickstart guide first.

Overview

By the end of this guide, you’ll have:

A site with three page types (Homepage, Blog Post, About)
Five reusable blocks (Hero, Text, Image, Card Grid, Footer)
A working navigation system
Content ready for editors to manage

Prerequisites

Pala installed and running (Installation guide)
Basic familiarity with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Understanding of core concepts

Step 1: Create Your Site

Initialize the site

When you first access Pala, create a new site. Give it a descriptive name like “My First Site”.

The site name is for internal organization. You can change it later in settings.

Configure basic settings

Navigate to Site Settings and configure:

Site Name: The name that appears in navigation and metadata
Domain: Your site’s domain (or subdomain for Cloud users)
Default Language: Set to your primary language

You can always update these settings later. For now, focus on getting the structure in place.

Step 2: Build Your Component Library

Before creating page types, let’s build the blocks that will power your pages. We’ll create five essential blocks.

Block 1: Hero

The Hero block will be the first thing visitors see on your homepage.

Create the Hero block

Go to Component Library → Create Block. Name it “Hero”.

Write the component

<section class="hero" style={background_image?.url ? `background-image: url(${background_image.url})` : ''}>
  <div class="hero-content">
    <h1>{headline}</h1>
    <p>{subheadline}</p>
    <a href={cta_link} class="cta-button">{cta_text}</a>
  </div>
</section>

<style>
  .hero {
    min-height: 60vh;
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: center;
    background: linear-gradient(135deg, #667eea 0%, #764ba2 100%);
    background-size: cover;
    background-position: center;
    color: white;
    text-align: center;
    padding: 4rem 2rem;
  }
  
  .hero-content {
    max-width: 800px;
  }
  
  .hero h1 {
    font-size: 3.5rem;
    margin-bottom: 1rem;
    font-weight: 700;
  }
  
  .hero p {
    font-size: 1.5rem;
    margin-bottom: 2rem;
    opacity: 0.95;
  }
  
  .cta-button {
    display: inline-block;
    padding: 1rem 2.5rem;
    background: white;
    color: #667eea;
    text-decoration: none;
    border-radius: 0.5rem;
    font-weight: 600;
    font-size: 1.1rem;
    transition: transform 0.2s, box-shadow 0.2s;
  }
  
  .cta-button:hover {
    transform: translateY(-2px);
    box-shadow: 0 10px 25px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
  }
  
  @media (max-width: 768px) {
    .hero h1 {
      font-size: 2.5rem;
    }
    .hero p {
      font-size: 1.25rem;
    }
  }
</style>

Add fields

Add these content fields:

headline (Text) - Main headline
subheadline (Text) - Supporting text
cta_text (Text) - Button text
cta_link (Text) - Button destination URL
background_image (Image, optional) - Background image URL

The component is already set up to use these fields. Just add them in the field editor.

Your Hero block is complete and saved to your component library. It’s ready to use on any page type.

Block 2: Text

A simple text block for content sections.

Create the Text block

Create a new block called “Text”.

Write the component

<section class="text-block" class:text-center={alignment === "center"} class:text-right={alignment === "right"}>
  {@html content}
</section>

<style>
  .text-block {
    max-width: 800px;
    margin: 0 auto;
    padding: 3rem 2rem;
    line-height: 1.8;
  }
  
  .text-block :global(h2) {
    font-size: 2rem;
    margin-top: 2rem;
    margin-bottom: 1rem;
  }
  
  .text-block :global(p) {
    margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
  }
  
  .text-block :global(ul), .text-block :global(ol) {
    margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
    padding-left: 2rem;
  }
  
  .text-block :global(li) {
    margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
  }
</style>

Add fields

Add these fields:

content (Rich Text) - The main content
alignment (Select) - Options: “left”, “center”, “right”

Your Text block is complete. It’s perfect for articles, descriptions, and long-form content.

Block 3: Image

A block for displaying images with optional captions.

Create the Image block

Create a new block called “Image”.

Write the component

<figure class="image-block" class:full-width={full_width}>
  {#if image?.url}
    <img src={image.url} alt={image.alt || alt_text} />
  {/if}
  {#if caption}
    <figcaption>{caption}</figcaption>
  {/if}
</figure>

<style>
  .image-block {
    margin: 2rem auto;
    max-width: 1000px;
    padding: 0 2rem;
  }
  
  .image-block.full-width {
    max-width: 100%;
    padding: 0;
  }
  
  .image-block img {
    width: 100%;
    height: auto;
    border-radius: 0.5rem;
  }
  
  .image-block figcaption {
    margin-top: 0.75rem;
    text-align: center;
    color: #666;
    font-style: italic;
    font-size: 0.9rem;
  }
</style>

Add fields

Add these fields:

image (Image) - The image to display (includes URL and alt text)
alt_text (Text, optional) - Override alt text if needed
caption (Text, optional) - Image caption
full_width (Switch/Toggle) - Whether to use full width

Your Image block is complete. It handles images with captions and full-width options.

Block 4: Card Grid

A flexible grid for displaying cards (useful for features, team members, etc.).

Create the Card Grid block

Create a new block called “Card Grid”.

Write the component

<section class="card-grid" style="--columns: {columns}">
  {#each cards as card}
    <div class="card">
      {#if card.image?.url}
        <img src={card.image.url} alt={card.image.alt || card.title} />
      {/if}
      <div class="card-content">
        <h3>{card.title}</h3>
        {#if card.description}
          <p>{card.description}</p>
        {/if}
        {#if card.link}
          <a href={card.link} class="card-link">Learn More →</a>
        {/if}
      </div>
    </div>
  {/each}
</section>

<style>
  .card-grid {
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: repeat(var(--columns), 1fr);
    gap: 2rem;
    padding: 3rem 2rem;
    max-width: 1200px;
    margin: 0 auto;
  }
  
  .card {
    background: white;
    border-radius: 0.5rem;
    overflow: hidden;
    box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
    transition: transform 0.2s, box-shadow 0.2s;
  }
  
  .card:hover {
    transform: translateY(-4px);
    box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);
  }
  
  .card img {
    width: 100%;
    height: 200px;
    object-fit: cover;
  }
  
  .card-content {
    padding: 1.5rem;
  }
  
  .card-content h3 {
    margin-bottom: 0.75rem;
    font-size: 1.5rem;
  }
  
  .card-content p {
    color: #666;
    margin-bottom: 1rem;
  }
  
  .card-link {
    color: #667eea;
    text-decoration: none;
    font-weight: 600;
  }
  
  @media (max-width: 768px) {
    .card-grid {
      grid-template-columns: 1fr;
    }
  }
</style>

Add fields

Add these fields:

cards (Repeater) - Array of card objects with:
- title (Text)
- description (Text, optional)
- image (Image, optional)
- link (Text, optional)
columns (Number) - Number of columns (default: 3)

Your Card Grid block is complete. It’s perfect for displaying features, team members, or any repeating content in a grid layout.

A site-wide footer block.

Create the Footer block

Create a new block called “Footer”.

Write the component

<footer class="footer">
  <div class="footer-content">
    <div class="footer-links">
      {#each links as link}
        <a href={link.url}>{link.label}</a>
      {/each}
    </div>
    <p class="copyright">{copyright_text}</p>
  </div>
</footer>

<style>
  .footer {
    background: #1a1a1a;
    color: white;
    padding: 3rem 2rem;
    margin-top: 4rem;
  }
  
  .footer-content {
    max-width: 1200px;
    margin: 0 auto;
    text-align: center;
  }
  
  .footer-links {
    display: flex;
    justify-content: center;
    gap: 2rem;
    margin-bottom: 2rem;
    flex-wrap: wrap;
  }
  
  .footer-links a {
    color: white;
    text-decoration: none;
    transition: opacity 0.2s;
  }
  
  .footer-links a:hover {
    opacity: 0.7;
  }
  
  .copyright {
    color: #888;
    font-size: 0.9rem;
  }
</style>

Add fields

Add these fields:

copyright_text (Text) - Copyright notice
links (Repeater) - Footer links with:
- label (Text)
- url (Text)

Your Footer block is complete. It’s ready to be used as a site-wide footer.

You now have five reusable blocks in your component library. These can be used across all your sites!

Step 3: Define Page Types

Now let’s create three page types that use these blocks.

Page Type 1: Homepage

Create Homepage page type

Go to Page Types → Create Page Type. Name it “Homepage” with slug “homepage”.

Configure available blocks

Add these blocks as available for the body slot:

Hero
Text
Image
Card Grid

These blocks will be available for editors to add in the body slot. We’ll add the Footer to the footer slot later.

Add page fields

Add these page-level fields:

meta_title (Text) - SEO title
meta_description (Text) - SEO description

Page Type 2: Blog Post

Create Blog Post page type

Create a new page type called “Blog Post” with slug “blog”.

Configure available blocks

Add these blocks:

Text
Image

Blog posts typically have simpler layouts. You can always add more blocks later.

Add page fields

Add these fields:

title (Text, required) - Post title
author (Text) - Author name
publish_date (Date) - Publication date
featured_image (Image) - Featured image
excerpt (Text) - Short description
meta_title (Text) - SEO title
meta_description (Text) - SEO description

The Date field outputs YYYY-MM-DD format. Use new Date(publish_date).toLocaleDateString() in your components to format it for display.

Page Type 3: About

Create About page type

Create a new page type called “About” with slug “about”.

Configure available blocks

Add these blocks:

Hero
Text
Image
Card Grid

Add page fields

Add these fields:

meta_title (Text) - SEO title
meta_description (Text) - SEO description

Step 4: Create Pages

Now let’s create actual pages using these page types.

Create the Homepage

Create homepage page

Go to Pages → Create Page. Select “Homepage” as the page type.

Add blocks

Add blocks in this order:

Hero - Add compelling headline and CTA
Text - Add an introduction section
Card Grid - Add 3 feature cards
Text - Add a closing section

You can reorder blocks by dragging them in the editor.

Fill in content

Edit each block with your content:

Hero: Welcome message and primary CTA
Text: Introduction to your site
Card Grid: Three feature highlights
Text: Call to action or closing message

Set page metadata

Fill in the page fields:

Meta title: “Home - My Site”
Meta description: “Welcome to my site built with Pala”

Create a Blog Post

Create blog post

Create a new page with “Blog Post” page type.

Fill page fields

Set:

Title: “Getting Started with Pala”
Author: Your name
Publish date: Select a date from the date picker
Excerpt: A short description

Add content blocks

Add:

Text block with your blog post content
Image block for illustrations

You can add multiple Text and Image blocks to create rich blog post layouts.

Create the About Page

Create about page

Create a new page with “About” page type.

Build the page

Add:

Hero - “About Us” headline
Text - Your story
Card Grid - Team members or values
Image - Team photo or office image

Add the Footer block to each page type so it appears on every page:

Add Footer to Homepage page type

Open the Homepage page type editor and add the Footer block to the Footer slot.

Blocks in the footer slot appear on every page of this type and can’t be removed by editors.

Add Footer to other page types

Repeat for Blog Post and About page types. Add the Footer block to each footer slot.

You can configure the Footer block content once, and it will be consistent across all page types that use it.

Configure footer content

Edit the Footer block to add:

Copyright text
Footer links (Privacy Policy, Terms, Contact, etc.)

Step 6: Publish Your Site

Review all pages

Use the preview feature to check each page before publishing.

Publish pages

Publish your Homepage, About page, and Blog Post.

Your site is now live! Visit your domain to see it in action.

What You’ve Built

You now have:

✅ A complete site structure with three page types
✅ Five reusable blocks in your component library
✅ Multiple published pages with real content
✅ Navigation and footer configured
✅ A site ready for content editors

Next Steps

Writing Components

Learn advanced techniques for building reusable components.

Working with Fields

Explore all field types and how to use them effectively.

Defining Page Types

Master page type configuration for complex content structures.

Using the Editor

Learn how content editors use Pala to manage pages.

All the blocks you created are saved in your component library. You can reuse them in future sites, saving time on every new project.

Getting Started

Building Sites

Collaboration

Content Management

Dashboard

Reference

Overview

Prerequisites

Step 1: Create Your Site

Step 2: Build Your Component Library

Block 1: Hero

Block 2: Text

Block 3: Image

Block 4: Card Grid

Block 5: Footer

Step 3: Define Page Types

Page Type 1: Homepage

Page Type 2: Blog Post

Page Type 3: About

Step 4: Create Pages

Create the Homepage

Create a Blog Post

Create the About Page

Step 5: Add Footer to Page Types

Step 6: Publish Your Site

What You’ve Built

Next Steps

Writing Components

Working with Fields

Defining Page Types

Using the Editor

Getting Started

Building Sites

Collaboration

Content Management

Dashboard

Reference

​Overview

​Prerequisites

​Step 1: Create Your Site

​Step 2: Build Your Component Library

​Block 1: Hero

​Block 2: Text

​Block 3: Image

​Block 4: Card Grid

​Block 5: Footer

​Step 3: Define Page Types

​Page Type 1: Homepage

​Page Type 2: Blog Post

​Page Type 3: About

​Step 4: Create Pages

​Create the Homepage

​Create a Blog Post

​Create the About Page

​Step 5: Add Footer to Page Types

​Step 6: Publish Your Site

​What You’ve Built

​Next Steps

Writing Components

Working with Fields

Defining Page Types

Using the Editor

Overview

Prerequisites

Step 1: Create Your Site

Step 2: Build Your Component Library

Block 1: Hero

Block 2: Text

Block 3: Image

Block 4: Card Grid

Block 5: Footer

Step 3: Define Page Types

Page Type 1: Homepage

Page Type 2: Blog Post

Page Type 3: About

Step 4: Create Pages

Create the Homepage

Create a Blog Post

Create the About Page

Step 5: Add Footer to Page Types

Step 6: Publish Your Site

What You’ve Built

Next Steps