FAQ

Setup & Installation

The launch script says Node.js is not installed

Download and install Node.js 18 or newer from nodejs.org. After installing, double-click the launch script again. On macOS, the script can install Node.js through Homebrew automatically if Homebrew is available.

The wizard won’t start

Open a terminal and type node --version to confirm Node.js 18+ is installed. The launch script handles dependencies automatically on first run. If something went wrong during that step, try running npm install manually in the Beacon folder, then try the launch script again.

The live preview is blank

Give it a few seconds. The preview server takes a moment to start up the first time. If it stays blank, check the terminal window for error messages.

Can I run the wizard without the launch scripts?

Yes. Open a terminal, navigate to the Beacon folder, and run:

npm install    # first time only
node setup/server.cjs

Then open http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

Content & Feeds

My feed cards aren’t showing content

Double-check the username, URL, or ID for each feed. The most common sticking points:

• YouTube requires a Channel ID (starts with UC), not a channel name or URL. Find yours at youtube.com/account_advanced.
• Substack feed URLs should end in /feed.
• Some feeds take a moment to load on the first request.

How often do feeds update?

Feed cards (YouTube, Substack, Medium, Podcast, Etsy, RSS) fetch fresh content every time someone visits your page. Publish something new and it appears on your Beacon within minutes. No rebuilding needed.

How often do tiles update?

Last.fm checks what you’re listening to every 30 seconds. Twitch checks your live status every 60 seconds. Countdown updates in real time. Other tiles (Hardcover, Letterboxd, GitHub, Steam, Chess.com, Weather) pull data at build time, so updating those means running a new build.

Can I mix links and feeds in any order?

Yes. They all live in one list. Drag them into whatever order makes sense. Put a sponsored link between two feed cards, group all your feeds together, whatever works for your page.

Themes & Design

Can I use a font not in the dropdown?

Yes. The font picker has a custom input field. Type any Google Fonts name and it loads immediately. The preview updates so you can confirm it looks right.

What do the accent colors do?

Each tile and content card has its own accent color, picked from your palette (Brand, Hover, Accent 1 through 6). The accent controls that card’s visual styling: border glow, icon color, and labels. Varying accent colors across cards creates visual interest without looking random.

I picked a light theme but the wizard looks wrong

The wizard interface itself is always dark. The live preview on the right side shows your actual site with whatever theme you chose. If you selected a light preset like Warm Earth or Minimal, your site will have a light background in the preview and when deployed. The wizard staying dark is expected.

The verification says my text contrast is too low

Your text color and background color are too similar, which means visitors won’t be able to read your page comfortably. Go to Brand Style and pick colors with more contrast. Dark text on a light background (or light text on a dark background) is the simplest fix.

Building & Deploying

The build failed

Check the output in the wizard for specific error messages. The usual causes:

• Required fields are missing for tiles or feeds you’ve added
• Run verification first to catch issues before building
• Try running npm install again to make sure dependencies are current

Can I preview the built site on my computer?

The live preview in the wizard (right side of the screen) shows exactly how your site will look once hosted. That’s the best way to preview.

Opening the dist/ folder directly in a browser won’t display styles correctly because the files use absolute paths. If you really want to preview the built output locally, run npx serve dist in a terminal.

Where do I upload the dist/ folder?

Any static hosting provider. The fastest option is Netlify Drop: drag your dist/ folder onto the page and you’re live. See the Hosting guide for all options.

How do I update my site after making changes?

Reopen the wizard (double-click the launch script), make your changes, click Build, and re-upload the dist/ folder to your host. On Netlify, drag the new folder to replace the old deployment. On git-based hosts, push and it redeploys automatically.

Do I need to keep the Beacon files after deploying?

Yes. Keep the entire Beacon folder on your computer. It contains your configuration and the wizard. You’ll need it any time you want to make changes and rebuild.

Privacy & Data

Does Beacon track my visitors?

No. There are no analytics, tracking scripts, or third-party data collection baked into your site. Beacon generates static HTML served directly to visitors. The only external requests come from content feeds that visitors’ browsers fetch (YouTube, Substack, etc.) and Google Fonts.

Where is my data stored?

On your computer, in the Beacon project folder. Nothing is sent to a server, cloud service, or database. You own everything.

Can I remove the “Build your own Beacon” footer link?

Yes. Go to Advanced in the wizard and uncheck the footer link toggle. It disappears on the next build.

Pricing & License

Is Beacon really a one-time purchase?

Yes. You pay once and own it. No subscription, no account, no login, no recurring fee. The product runs entirely on your computer.

Can I use Beacon for a client project?

Each purchase covers one site. If you’re building Beacon sites for multiple clients, each site needs its own license.

Do I get updates?

The product you download is complete and works indefinitely as-is. If future updates are released, existing customers get access.

Still Stuck?

If something isn’t covered here, reach out directly and I’ll help you sort it out.