Confusion over Node layouts

Asking this as the tutorial om the forum is very out of date and I am having problems with using layouts. Hope someone will be kind enough to assist

I have created a new node/ docker project

I start with the automatically created index.ejs page

Routing is set

I have the initially created index page to which i add a simple tittle

which i can browse

I create a layout page with a basic nav bar which is to be the main menu for the public facing pages

I edit the page definition from here

image
and see

I set the layout to the homepage layout i defined and save.

I view the page in a browser and the layout nav bar does not show

So i add the layout in the routing section

Browse the page

The nav menu appears

HOWEVER if i hit refresh i get

image

What am i doing wrong?
Where should i define the layout page?
Why the app running message?

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