# How to buils So-Simple-Theme
**URL:** https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/how-to-buils-so-simple-theme/1662
**Category:** Help
**Created:** [April 3, 2018, 6:42am UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/how-to-buils-so-simple-theme/1662 "2018-04-03T06:42:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@vongomben](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/vongomben)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2018, 6:42am UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/how-to-buils-so-simple-theme/1662/1 "2018-04-03T06:42:40Z")
Hi.
i’m trying to build this nice [so-simple-theme](https://github.com/mmistakes/so-simple-theme) locally.
What I see if I build it is it’s parent directory file manager. Am I missing something?
I’m using the latest version of jekyll and went through this good practice from the author of the theme for the users to submit issues.
> - Verify you have the latest versions of Jekyll and Minimal Mistakes
> installed by running `bundle update`.
> - Thoroughly read the theme’s documentation at
> README.md
> - Search all issues at /issues
> for solutions and to avoid duplication.
> - Ask for help at talkjekyllrb
---
### Author:  [@ashmaroli](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/ashmaroli)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2018, 9:41am UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/how-to-buils-so-simple-theme/1662/2 "2018-04-03T09:41:05Z")
What you need to do is “_serve_” the site to preview it on your browser.
```auto
bundle exec jekyll serve
```
Then point your browser to `http:://localhost:4000/`
---
### Author:  [@vongomben](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/vongomben)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2018, 10:49am UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/how-to-buils-so-simple-theme/1662/3 "2018-04-03T10:49:39Z")
well, I normally launch `jekyll serve`.
I’ve run your script, the result is the same
---
### Author:  [@rdyar](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/rdyar)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/how-to-buils-so-simple-theme/1662/4 "2018-04-03T16:16:52Z")
I _think_ that is a gem based theme and you cloned it and are expecting it to be a website… I think you need to have an existing jekyll site (could just be a new site) and then you get that theme by specifying it in your config or installing the gem.
I don’t use gem based themes so I am not too sure about it, but I think that is what is happening based on the files listed in your screenshot and what is in his repo.
from the docs “you can quickly install the theme as a Ruby gem”
I think you might be able to see it work if you add an index.html page to it with the correct layout/front matter.
---
### Author:  [@ashmaroli](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/ashmaroli)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/how-to-buils-so-simple-theme/1662/5 "2018-04-03T16:30:35Z")
The theme has been set up to be used as a `fork-and-deploy` site as well. The theme’s Readme has mentions [alluding](https://github.com/mmistakes/so-simple-theme#remove-the-unnecessary) to the same…
Perhaps @mmistakes himself can diagnose this faster…
---
### Author:  [@mmistakes](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/mmistakes)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2018, 5:35pm UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/how-to-buils-so-simple-theme/1662/6 "2018-04-03T17:35:29Z")
Hard to say without seeing the site’s source code. If I had to guess from the screenshot alone, there is no `index.html` file at the `/blog`. Which is why only a directory of files on the server is being shown.
You can certainly fork the theme’s repo, but you need to actually populate it with content. A better starter would be to use what is in the [`/example` folder](https://github.com/mmistakes/so-simple-theme/tree/master/example) as that has a home page, some sample posts, sample collection, etc. to see how everything should be scaffolded out.
Similar to what @rdyar suggested, starting with `jekyll new` and then installing the theme would get you there faster. Forking requires extra steps, adding content, [removing development files](https://github.com/mmistakes/so-simple-theme#remove-the-unnecessary), and losing the benefit of installing/updating the theme easier via ruby gem or remote theme.
---
### Author:  [@vongomben](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/u/vongomben)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2018, 8:02am UTC](https://talk.jekyllrb.com/t/how-to-buils-so-simple-theme/1662/7 "2018-04-04T08:02:37Z")
Ok thanks will do.
I’ll start with a vanilla jekyll and install the theme via gem.