@@ -46,11 +46,7 @@ WildcardDomain   string `toml:"wildcard_domain"`
 	OIDCHost         URL    `toml:"oidc_host"`
 	Taxonomies       []Taxonomy
 	CSP              *CSP `toml:"content-security-policy"`
-	VCS              struct {
-		Branch    string
-		RemoteURL URL `toml:"remote_url"`
-	}
-	Extra struct {
+	Extra            struct {
 		Headers map[string]string
 	}
 	Menus map[string][]MenuItem

@@ -23,10 +23,11 @@ repo *git.Repository
 	log  *log.Logger
 }
 
-func CloneOrOpen(cfg *Options, log *log.Logger) (repo *Repository, err error) {
+func CloneOrOpen(cfg *Options, log *log.Logger) (repo *Repository, err error, exists bool) {
 	stat, err := os.Stat(cfg.LocalPath)
-	if err != nil && errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
-		return nil, err
+	exists = err == nil
+	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+		return
 	}
 	repo = &Repository{
 		log: log,
@@ -43,15 +44,8 @@
 	return
 }
 
-func (r *Repository) Update() (bool, error) {
-	r.log.Info("updating repository")
-
-	head, err := r.repo.Head()
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
-
-	r.log.Info("updating from", "rev", head.Hash().String())
+func (r *Repository) Update() (updated bool, err error) {
+	r.log.Info("updating repository", "from", r.headSHA())
 	err = r.repo.Fetch(&git.FetchOptions{
 		Prune: true,
 	})
@@ -119,3 +113,12 @@ }
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (r *Repository) headSHA() string {
+	head, err := r.repo.Head()
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	return head.Hash().String()
+}

@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ Destination string     `conf:"default:public"`
 	Redirect    bool       `conf:"default:true"`
 	Development bool       `conf:"default:false,flag:dev"`
 	BaseURL     config.URL `conf:"default:localhost"`
+	VCS         struct {
+		Branch    string     `conf:"default:main"`
+		RemoteURL config.URL `conf:"default:https://git.alanpearce.eu/website"`
+	}
 }
 
 type Website struct {
@@ -96,6 +100,22 @@ }
 
 	templates.Setup()
 
+	repo, err, exists := vcs.CloneOrOpen(&vcs.Options{
+		LocalPath: opts.Source,
+		RemoteURL: opts.VCS.RemoteURL,
+		Branch:    opts.VCS.Branch,
+	}, log.Named("vcs"))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.WithMessage(err, "could not open repository")
+	}
+
+	if exists && !opts.Development {
+		_, err := repo.Update()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, errors.WithMessage(err, "could not update repository")
+		}
+	}
+
 	log.Debug("getting config from source", "source", opts.Source)
 	cfg, err := config.GetConfig(opts.Source, log)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -120,18 +140,6 @@ cfg.BaseURL = opts.BaseURL
 	}
 
 	website.Domain = cfg.BaseURL.Hostname()
-
-	repo, err := vcs.CloneOrOpen(&vcs.Options{
-		LocalPath: opts.Source,
-		RemoteURL: cfg.VCS.RemoteURL,
-		Branch:    cfg.VCS.Branch,
-	}, log.Named("vcs"))
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.WithMessage(err, "could not update repository")
-	}
-
-	_ = repo
-	// config may have changed, reload
 
 	err = rebuild(builderOptions, cfg, log)
 	if err != nil {