This error typically occurs when a submodule is referenced in your repository’s .gitmodules file but hasn’t been initialized or updated properly. Here’s what you can do to resolve it:

  1. Check .gitmodules: Make sure that the submodule themes/hugo-PaperMod is correctly listed in your .gitmodules file. Ensure that the URL field is correctly set.

  2. Initialize Submodules: If you’ve just cloned the repository or the submodule wasn’t initialized, you need to initialize submodules. Run:

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git submodule update --init

    This command initializes all submodules listed in your .gitmodules file.

  3. Update Submodules: If the submodule reference in your repository has changed or if the submodule repository has been updated, you’ll need to update your submodule. Run:

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    cssCopy code
git submodule update --recursive --remote

    This command updates all submodules to the latest commit of their respective branches.

  4. Manually Update Submodule URL: If the submodule URL has changed, you might need to manually update it in the .gitmodules file and then update the submodule as described in step 3.

  5. Check Permissions and Repository Access: Ensure that the submodule repository is accessible from your location and that you have the necessary permissions to clone it.

After performing these steps, try checking out your repository again. If you encounter any issues, feel free to ask for further assistance!