---
layout: lesson_homepage
---
This lesson shows how to use
[Software Carpentry]({{ site.swc_site }})'s lesson template.
Each lesson is made up of *episodes* that are 10-30 minutes long
(including time for both teaching and exercises).
The episodes of this lesson explain the tools we use to create lessons
and the formatting rules those lessons must follow.

Every lesson's home page is contained in `index.md`,
and opens with a few pages.
After that come
a block stating prerequisites
and a line including `syllabus.html`
(which generates a summary of the lesson's episodes).

> ## Prerequisites
>
> Use the `.prereq` style to specify prerequisites.
{: .prereq}
