Jekyll themes

Below are the Jekyll themes and starters I’ve designed, developed, and released as open source. Each theme contains the _layouts, _includes, Sass/CSS, JavaScript, and other sample files needed to build with Jekyll and host a static site or blog.

Getting started with each is roughly the same:

1. Install as a Ruby gem, remote theme, or fork the theme repository you’d like to use or modify.
2. Install Bundler gem install bundler and run bundle install to install all dependencies (Jekyll, plugins, and so on).
3. Update Jekyll’s _config.yml file, customize data files (found in the _data directory), and replace sample posts and pages with your own content.

For more specifics, consult each theme’s documentation by visiting the setup guide links below.

Minimal Mistakes theme

A flexible two-column Jekyll theme with a minimalist aesthetic.

• Available as a Ruby gem-based theme and remote theme.
• Compatible with GitHub Pages.
• Supports Jekyll’s built-in Sass/SCSS preprocessor.
• Nine different skins (color variations).
• Optional header images, custom sidebars, table of contents, galleries, related posts, breadcrumb links, navigation lists, commenting, and more.

Setup guide Live preview

So Simple theme

So Simple is a Jekyll theme for your words and pictures. Features include:

• Available as a Rubty gem-based theme and remote theme.
• Compatible with GitHub Pages.
• Supports Jekyll’s built-in Sass/SCSS preprocessor.
• A variety of layouts with clean and readable typography.
• Microformats markup to make post content machine-readable and discoverable.
• Disqus Comments and Google Analytics support.
• SEO best practices via Jekyll SEO Tag.
• Options to customize the theme and make it your own.

Setup guide Live preview

Basically Basic theme

Basically Basic is a Jekyll theme meant as a substitute for Jekyll’s default theme — Minima. Conventions and features found there are fully supported by Basically Basic, with a few enhancements thrown in for good measure:

• Available as a Ruby gem-based theme and remote theme.
• Compatible with GitHub Pages.
• Supports Jekyll’s built-in Sass/SCSS preprocessor.
• Clean responsive design with six customizable skins.
• Curriculum Vitæ/Resume layout powered by JSON data.
• About page layout.
• Disqus Comments and Google Analytics support.
• SEO best practices via Jekyll SEO Tag.

Setup guide Live preview

HPSTR theme (archived)

A responsive Jekyll blog theme designed to give your site a modern and somewhat cliché feel.

• Compatible with GitHub Pages.
• Supports Jekyll’s built-in Sass/SCSS preprocessor.
• Modern design with rounded rectangles and subtle gradients.
• Animated main menu.

Setup guide Live preview

Skinny Bones theme (archived)

A Jekyll starter based off of an older incarnation of Made Mistakes.

• Compatible with GitHub Pages.
• Supports Jekyll’s built-in Sass/SCSS preprocessor.
• Off canvas menu.
• Tile based archives.
• Optional table of contents, share links, Disqus comments modules, and more.

Setup guide Live preview

License

These themes are free and open source software, distributed under the MIT License. Feel free to modify them to suit your needs.