diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
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+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 # Freed.place
 heya! welcome to my personal website! this site is build using Hugo and can be easily deployed for yourself.
 
+## how to build this site?
+this site uses Hugo, an open-source framework for building websites.
+to install Hugo on your system, please install the `hugo` package from your package manager.
+after that; run `hugo` in the root of this repository which will create the website in the `public/` directory.
+you can then host the `public/` directory using `nginx` or your program of choice.
+
 ## wait... where's the old site?
 the old version of [freed.place](https://freed.place) is hosted at [codeberg](https://codeberg.org/FreedTapestry21/freed.place).
 please take a look there for older versions of this site.