Getting started
Installation
Most people only need the first section below. The rest is for anyone customizing Fold from source and re-packaging it themselves.
Requirements
| Requirement | Needed for |
|---|---|
Ghost >=5.0.0 | Running the theme at all — this is Fold's minimum supported Ghost version. |
Node >=22.12.0 + pnpm | Building from source only. Not needed if you're just uploading the pre-built .zip. |
Install from a .zip
This is the path almost everyone should use.
-
Open theme settings
In Ghost Admin, go to Settings → Design and branding → Change theme.
-
Upload the zip
Click Upload theme and select the Fold
.zip. Ghost validates it automatically on upload. -
Activate it
Once it appears in your theme list, click Activate. Your site now renders with Fold.
If upload fails validation, see Theme upload failed or was rejected in the FAQ.
Build from source
Only relevant if you have the Fold repository — for example, if you're customizing the theme beyond what code injection and theme settings allow (see Customization).
pnpm install
pnpm run dev # watch + livereload while you edit
pnpm run build # compiles assets/css and assets/js into assets/built/
pnpm run test # runs gscan, Ghost's theme validator
pnpm run zip # builds, then packages dist/ghost-fold.zip
Upload the resulting dist/ghost-fold.zip the same way as Install from a .zip above — it's built by gulp-zip with the folder structure Ghost expects, so don't hand-zip the repo yourself.
Run pnpm run test before uploading. Ghost's theme validator (gscan) rejects themes with fatal errors at upload time, and this repo's test:ci script runs the same checks in strict mode (gscan --fatal --verbose .) so you catch problems before they surface as a failed upload.
Updating to a new version
Repeat the Install from a .zip steps with the new version's .zip — uploading a new version doesn't remove your existing theme settings or content, since those live in Ghost's database, not in the theme files. Check the changelog first for anything version-specific worth knowing before you update.