# First build with the dita command

You can publish output using the dita command-line tool. Build parameters can be specified on the command line, with .properties files, or in project files that define multiple deliverables.

## About this task

The DITA-OT client is a command-line tool with no graphical user interface. To verify that your installation works correctly, you can build the HTML version of the documentation you are reading now.

## Procedure

1. Open a terminal window by typing the following in the search bar:

   Option | Description
   --- | ---
   Linux or macOS | Type `Terminal`.
   Windows | Type `Command Prompt`.

2. Change directories to the docsrc/samples subfolder of the DITA-OT installation directory:

       cd dita-ot-dir/docsrc/samples

3. At the command-line prompt, enter the following command:

       dita --project=project-files/html.xml

   The HTML version of the documentation is generated in the docsrc/samples/out folder.

## What to do next

Most builds require you to specify more options than are described in this topic. For more information, see Publishing with the dita command.