Custom fields not displaying when published

https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Custom_Fields

ty, I had looked at the page, I am still not sure where to put the code they suggest
<?php the_meta(); ?>

is it in my index.php file?

sorry I am very new to wp

thank-you

Inside index.php
inside the loop

<?php if(have_posts()) : ?>

		<?php while(have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>

		<div id="post-<?php the_ID(); ?>" <?php post_class('entry'); ?>>
                  <h2 class="entry-title"><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>" rel="bookmark" title="Permalink to <?php the_title(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></h2>
<?php the_meta(); ?>
..

thank-you ??