docs: clarified setup guide

docs/cli/build.md

@@ -56,6 +56,19 @@ If you have a very large vault, you can limit the number of concurrent workers t
 npx quartz build --concurrency 2
 ```
 
+## Serve vs Watch
+
+The `--serve` and `--watch` flags control different behaviors:
+
+- **`--serve`** starts a local development server AND automatically watches for changes (implies `--watch`). This is the recommended mode for local development.
+- **`--watch`** only watches for file changes and rebuilds automatically, without starting a server. This is useful for CI pipelines or custom server setups where you want automatic rebuilds but handle serving separately.
+
+In most cases, you want `--serve`:
+
+```shell
+npx quartz build --serve
+```
+
 ## Development Server
 
 The `--serve` flag starts a local web server. This server is intended for development and previewing only. It is not designed for production use. For information on how to deploy your site, see [[hosting]].

docs/index.md

@@ -4,29 +4,26 @@ title: Welcome to Quartz 5
 
 Quartz is a fast, batteries-included static-site generator that transforms Markdown content into fully functional websites. Thousands of students, developers, and teachers are [[showcase|already using Quartz]] to publish personal notes, websites, and [digital gardens](https://jzhao.xyz/posts/networked-thought) to the web.
 
-## 🪴 Get Started
+## Getting Started
 
 Quartz requires **at least [Node](https://nodejs.org/) v22** and `npm` v10.9.2 to function correctly. Ensure you have this installed on your machine before continuing.
 
-Then, in your terminal of choice, enter the following commands line by line:
+### New to Quartz?
+
+1. **[[getting-started/installation|Set up your repository]]** — Fork and clone the Quartz template
+2. **[[getting-started/installation|Initialize]]** — Run `npx quartz create` to choose a template and configure your site
+3. **[[build|Build]]** — Preview your site locally with `npx quartz build --serve`
+4. **[[hosting|Deploy]]** — Host your site for free on GitHub Pages, Cloudflare, or Netlify
+
+### Returning User?
+
+If you've already set up Quartz and are cloning your repository on a new machine:
 
 ```shell
-git clone -b v5 https://github.com/jackyzha0/quartz.git
-cd quartz
-npm i
 npx quartz plugin install
-npx quartz create
+npx quartz build --serve
 ```
 
-This will guide you through initializing your Quartz with content, including choosing a [[cli/create#templates|project template]] and configuring your site's base URL. Once you've done so, see how to:
-
-1. [[authoring content|Writing content]] in Quartz
-2. [[configuration|Configure]] Quartz's behaviour
-3. Change Quartz's [[layout]]
-4. [[build|Build and preview]] Quartz
-5. Sync your changes with [[setting up your GitHub repository|GitHub]]
-6. [[hosting|Host]] Quartz online
-
 ## 🔧 Features
 
 - [[Obsidian compatibility]], [[full-text search]], [[graph view]], [[wikilinks|wikilinks, transclusions]], [[backlinks]], [[features/Latex|Latex]], [[syntax highlighting]], [[popover previews]], [[Docker Support]], [[i18n|internationalization]], [[comments]] and [many more](./features/) right out of the box