Install a python-based blog

Here's one way to install a python-based blog such as Nikola. In principle, it's the same procedure as documented in a previous post, but I understand it better this time.

First, install the essential ingredients to create a virtual environment for python and friends and handle it in a convenient fashion:

sudo pacman -S python-virtualenv python-virtualenvwrapper

Second, create the virtual environment, install Nikola and all other things you need.

mkvirtualenv nikola
pip install Nikola
pip install requests
pip install livereload
pip install jinja2
pip install markdown
pip install webassets

If you don't know what you need:

pip install Nikola[extras]

Third, initialize your blog and install some plugins:

nikola init pdes-net.org
cd pdes-net.org/
nikola install_theme bootstrap /or any other/
nikola plugin -i localsearch
nikola plugin -i tags

Fourth, create a new post:

nikola new_post

Edit the new post with your favorite editor!

Fifth, after saving the new post, build and serve it:

nikola build && nikola serve

You can examine the result under http://localhost:8000. ALternatively, you can use

nikola auto

to be able to edit the post in quasi real-time. When you are satisfied, you can sync the result to your webspace using

nikola deploy

After all this work, you may have got tired of the whole business. Get out of it:

deactivate nikola

To start working again, issue

workon nikola

After a while,the whole machinery in your virtualenv is in dire need to be updated. How to do that? The easiest way is:

workon nikola
pip install pip-tools
pip-review --interactive

pip thus becomes a veritable package manager in its respective virtualenv. Not too bad.