# Pelican — Python-Powered Static Site Generator

> Pelican is a static site generator written in Python that converts Markdown and reStructuredText content into a fully themed HTML site, with built-in support for Atom and RSS feeds.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# Pelican — Python-Powered Static Site Generator

## Quick Use
```bash
pip install pelican[markdown]
pelican-quickstart
# Answer prompts to scaffold the project
pelican content && pelican --listen
# Open http://localhost:8000
```

## Introduction
Pelican is a static site generator written in Python that reads content files in Markdown or reStructuredText, applies Jinja2 templates, and produces a complete static website ready for deployment. It was created as a Python-native alternative to Ruby-based generators like Jekyll, and is well suited for blogs, personal sites, and technical documentation.

## What Pelican Does
- Converts Markdown and reStructuredText files into themed HTML pages
- Generates Atom and RSS feeds automatically for blog content
- Supports articles (date-ordered posts) and pages (static content) as distinct content types
- Applies Jinja2 templates for full layout and theme customization
- Provides a plugin system for extending build behavior (sitemap, SEO, image processing)

## Architecture Overview
Pelican reads content files from a source directory, parses metadata from file headers, and passes the content through a reader (Markdown or reStructuredText). The parsed content is handed to Jinja2 templates defined by the active theme. Generators produce the output files: articles, pages, category and tag index pages, author pages, and feeds. Signals allow plugins to hook into specific points in the generation pipeline.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install with `pip install pelican[markdown]` in a virtual environment
- Run `pelican-quickstart` to generate project scaffold with configuration files
- Place content in the `content/` directory with metadata headers (Title, Date, Category)
- Customize site settings in `pelicanconf.py` and production overrides in `publishconf.py`
- Build with `pelican content` and deploy the `output/` directory to any static host

## Key Features
- Native Python ecosystem with pip install and Jinja2 templating
- Dual markup support for Markdown and reStructuredText in the same project
- Automatic feed generation for Atom and RSS without plugins
- Import tools for migrating content from WordPress, Tumblr, and other platforms
- Theme system with dozens of community themes available on pelicanthemes.com

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Jekyll** — Ruby-based with Liquid templates, native GitHub Pages support, larger community
- **Hugo** — Go-based with sub-second builds, significantly faster for large sites
- **MkDocs** — Python-based but focused specifically on project documentation, not general blogging
- **Sphinx** — Python documentation generator aimed at API docs and technical references, not blogs
- **Nikola** — Python static generator with Jupyter Notebook support, smaller community than Pelican

## FAQ
**Q: Can Pelican handle large sites?**
A: Pelican handles hundreds of articles without issues. Very large sites (thousands of pages) may see slower build times compared to Hugo, but caching and incremental builds help.

**Q: Does Pelican support i18n?**
A: Yes. The i18n_subsites plugin allows generating translated versions of the site with per-language content directories.

**Q: How do I create a custom Pelican theme?**
A: Create a directory with `templates/` and `static/` subdirectories containing Jinja2 templates and CSS/JS assets. Point the `THEME` setting to your theme directory.

**Q: Can I use Pelican for documentation sites?**
A: Pelican can generate documentation pages, but MkDocs or Sphinx offer better navigation and search features specifically designed for technical documentation.

## Sources
- https://github.com/getpelican/pelican
- https://docs.getpelican.com/

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/1aeb989a-42ff-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: Script Depot