[CI] Migrate to npm-managed local Hugo and standardise Makefile targets

Signed-off-by: Heby T Paul <hebytpaul1111@gmail.com>

Author: hebypaul

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ make site
 
 #### Building the Site
 
-To build the Academy site for production, ensure you have `Hugo` and `Go` installed. Now, run the following command to build the site:
+To build the Academy site for production, ensure you have `npm` and `Go` installed. The local `hugo` binary is managed by `npm`. Ensure you have run `make setup` first, then run the following command to build the site:
 
 ```sh
 make build

Makefile

@@ -23,23 +23,33 @@ include .github/build/Makefile.show-help.mk
 setup:
 	npm install
 
-## Build and run site locally with draft and future content enabled.
-site: check-go
-	hugo server -D -F
+## Verify required commands and local dependencies are present.
+check-deps:
+	@echo "Checking if 'npm' and local 'hugo' binary are present..."
+	@command -v npm > /dev/null || { echo "Error: 'npm' not found. Please install Node.js and npm."; exit 1; }
+	@test -x node_modules/.bin/hugo || { echo "Error: Hugo binary not found in node_modules. Please run 'make setup' first."; exit 1; }
+	@echo "Dependencies check passed."
+
+## Run on your local machine with draft and future content enabled.
+site: check-deps check-go
+	npm run dev:site
+
+## Run on your local machine without file watching.
+serve: check-deps check-go
+	npm run dev:serve
 
 ## Build site
-build:
-	hugo build
+build: check-deps check-go
+	npm run dev:build
 
 ## Build site for local consumption
-build-preview:
-	hugo --baseURL=$(BASEURL)
+build-preview: check-deps check-go
+	npm run dev:build -- --baseURL="$(BASEURL)"
 
 ## Empty build cache and run on your local machine.
 clean:
-	hugo --cleanDestinationDir
-	make setup
-	make site
+	npm run clean
+	$(MAKE) site
 
 ## Fix Markdown linting issues
 lint-fix:
@@ -61,8 +71,8 @@ check-go:
 	@echo "Go is installed."
 
 ## Update the academy-theme package to latest version
-theme-update:
+theme-update: check-deps
 	echo "Updating to latest academy-theme..." && \
-	hugo mod get github.com/layer5io/academy-theme
+	npm run update:theme
 
-.PHONY: setup build build-preview site clean lint-fix check-go theme-update
+.PHONY: setup check-deps build build-preview site serve clean check-go theme-update lint-fix

README.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Layer5 Academy
 
 **Layer5 Academy** is the **official content repository** for Layer5's learning platform, hosting all official learning paths, challenges, and certifications.  
-It is built with [Hugo](https://gohugo.io/) and integrated into a multi-repository architecture for rapid local preview and automated cloud deployment.
+It is built with [Hugo](https://gohugo.io/) (managed locally via npm) and integrated into a multi-repository architecture for rapid local preview and automated cloud deployment.
 
 ---
 
@@ -41,12 +41,13 @@ The Academy platform is composed of multiple repositories, each with a specific
 ## Quick Start (Local Preview)
 
 > Use this workflow for a fast preview loop when editing Markdown content.
+> **Note:** You do not need to install Hugo globally. The required `hugo-extended` binary is managed locally via npm when you run `make setup`.
 
 ```bash
 # Clean up and verify Go module dependencies
 go mod tidy
 
-# Install necessary tools and modules
+# Install necessary tools and modules (including local Hugo)
 make setup
 
 # Start the local Hugo development server

package.json

@@ -13,15 +13,18 @@
     "_build": "npm run _hugo-dev --",
     "_check:links": "echo IMPLEMENTATION PENDING for check-links; echo",
     "_hugo": "hugo --cleanDestinationDir",
-    "_hugo-dev": "npm run _hugo -- -e dev -DFE",
-    "_local": "npx cross-env HUGO_MODULE_WORKSPACE=docsy.work",
-    "_serve": "npm run _hugo-dev -- --minify serve --renderToMemory",
+    "_hugo-dev": "hugo --cleanDestinationDir -e dev -DFE",
+    "_local": "cross-env HUGO_MODULE_WORKSPACE=docsy.work",
+    "_serve": "npm run _hugo-dev -- server --minify --renderToMemory",
     "build:preview": "npm run _hugo-dev -- --minify --baseURL \"${DEPLOY_PRIME_URL:-/}\"",
     "build:production": "npm run _hugo -- --minify",
     "build": "npm run _build -- ",
     "check:links:all": "HTMLTEST_ARGS= npm run _check:links",
     "check:links": "npm run _check:links",
     "clean": "rm -Rf public/* resources",
+    "dev:build": "npm run _hugo-dev --",
+    "dev:serve": "npm run _hugo-dev -- server --watch=false",
+    "dev:site": "npm run _hugo-dev -- server",
     "local": "npm run _local -- npm run",
     "make:public": "git init -b main public",
     "precheck:links:all": "npm run build",
@@ -32,7 +35,8 @@
     "test": "npm run check:links",
     "update:dep": "npm install --save-dev autoprefixer@latest postcss-cli@latest",
     "update:hugo": "npm install --save-dev --save-exact hugo-extended@latest",
-    "update:pkgs": "npx npm-check-updates -u"
+    "update:pkgs": "npx npm-check-updates -u",
+    "update:theme": "hugo mod get github.com/layer5io/academy-theme"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "autoprefixer": "^10.4.21",