Get your site online with Éclair

Nine lessons to install Éclair CMS with your host, write your first pages and prepare a launch with no bad surprises.

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This path is for you if you've never installed a website or you're new to Éclair CMS. No technical knowledge is needed: each lesson tells you where to click, what should happen and what to do if it doesn't.

What you'll be able to do

Install Éclair CMS

Upload the files to your host and answer the wizard's four questions.

Build your site

Create your pages, your first post, your menus and your home page.

Launch safely

Turn on two-factor authentication, publish the legal pages and connect Google Search Console.

The 9 lessons to install Éclair CMS and launch

  1. Discover Éclair CMS What a CMS without a database is, why Éclair is so fast and what it doesn't do.
  2. Prepare your installation The domain name, hosting, server requirements and the checklist before you start.
  3. Install Éclair step by step Uploading the folder, the hidden files not to forget and the five screens of the wizard.
  4. Get to know the Éclair admin The dashboard, the side menu, roles and the Edit button on the public site.
  5. Write and publish your first blog post The 18 blocks, the slash key, preview, publishing and version history.
  6. Pages, menus and home page Pages and subpages, header and footer menus, and choosing the home page.
  7. Images and the Éclair media library Accepted formats, WebP conversion, alt text and the featured image.
  8. Contact form and messages A captcha-free form, protected from spam, and the admin inbox.
  9. Essential settings before launch Key settings, Search Console, legal pages and the launch checklist.

What comes after the Beginner path?

Once your site is online, the Intermediate path teaches you to make it unique and visible: Visual mode, art directions, SEO, GEO and multilingual sites. You can also go straight to the AI & MCP path to write and update your site with Claude or ChatGPT.

Questions about the Beginner path

How long does the Beginner path take?

Allow about an hour of reading, plus one to two hours if you repeat each step on your own site as you go.

Can I follow the path without hosting?

Yes, for reading. To practice, you need PHP hosting. Developers can also run Éclair on their computer with PHP's built-in server, as explained in the Local development and testing lesson.

What if the installation gets stuck?

Lesson 3 lists the most common errors, and the Troubleshooting page details every solution, from the 404 error to a forgotten password.