# 2360 Jekyllsetup 761bf6d9
> JekyllSetup Workflow
- Skill: `tools-only/2360-jekyllsetup-761bf6d9` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tools-only/2360-jekyllsetup-761bf6d9`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tools-only/2360-jekyllsetup-761bf6d9/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Productivity
- Author: tools-only (https://skillmd.com/u/tools-only)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tools-only/2360-jekyllsetup-761bf6d9
---
# JekyllSetup Workflow
Configure Jekyll for your GitHub Pages site.
## Checklist
- [ ] Choose a theme
- [ ] Create _config.yml
- [ ] Setup directory structure
- [ ] Configure front matter
- [ ] Test locally (optional)
- [ ] Deploy and verify
---
## Step 1: Choose a Theme
### Supported Themes (Zero Configuration)
| Theme | Style |
|-------|-------|
| `jekyll-theme-architect` | Blueprint/technical |
| `jekyll-theme-cayman` | Clean, modern |
| `jekyll-theme-dinky` | Playful |
| `jekyll-theme-hacker` | Terminal/hacker |
| `jekyll-theme-leap-day` | Yellow notebook |
| `jekyll-theme-merlot` | Warm, inviting |
| `jekyll-theme-midnight` | Dark, sophisticated |
| `jekyll-theme-minima` | Minimal blog |
| `jekyll-theme-minimal` | Simple, clean |
| `jekyll-theme-modernist` | Modern, sleek |
| `jekyll-theme-slate` | Gray, professional |
| `jekyll-theme-tactile` | Textured |
| `jekyll-theme-time-machine` | Retro futuristic |
### Remote Themes (Any GitHub Jekyll Theme)
Use `remote_theme` to use themes not in the supported list.
---
## Step 2: Create _config.yml
### Minimal Configuration
```yaml
theme: jekyll-theme-minimal
title: My Site
description: A description of my site
```
### Full Configuration
```yaml
# Theme
theme: jekyll-theme-minimal
# Or use remote theme:
# remote_theme: pages-themes/minimal@v0.2.0
# Site Settings
title: My Site
description: A description of my site
url: https://username.github.io
baseurl: "" # or "/repository-name" for project sites
# Author
author:
name: Your Name
email: your@email.com
# Build Settings
markdown: kramdown
highlighter: rouge
# Plugins (optional)
plugins:
- jekyll-feed
- jekyll-seo-tag
- jekyll-sitemap
# Exclude from build
exclude:
- README.md
- Gemfile
- Gemfile.lock
- node_modules
- vendor
```
---
## Step 3: Directory Structure
### Basic Structure
```
.
├── _config.yml # Site configuration
├── index.md # Homepage
├── about.md # About page
├── _posts/ # Blog posts
│ └── 2024-01-01-welcome.md
├── assets/
│ ├── css/
│ │ └── style.scss # Custom styles
│ └── images/
└── _layouts/ # Custom layouts (optional)
└── default.html
```
### Blog Post Naming Convention
```
_posts/YYYY-MM-DD-title.md
```
Example: `_posts/2024-01-15-my-first-post.md`
---
## Step 4: Configure Front Matter
### Page Front Matter
```yaml
---
layout: default
title: Page Title
description: Page description for SEO
permalink: /custom-url/
---
Page content here...
```
### Blog Post Front Matter
```yaml
---
layout: post
title: "Blog Post Title"
date: 2024-01-15 10:00:00 -0500
categories: [category1, category2]
tags: [tag1, tag2]
author: Your Name
---
Post content here...
```
---
## Step 5: Customize Theme
### Custom CSS
Create `assets/css/style.scss`:
```scss
---
---
@import "{{ site.theme }}";
// Custom styles below
body {
font-family: 'Your Font', sans-serif;
}
h1, h2, h3 {
color: #333;
}
// Add more custom styles...
```
### Custom Layout
1. Find theme's `_layouts/default.html` in theme repository
2. Copy contents to your `_layouts/default.html`
3. Modify as needed
Example custom layout:
```html
{{ page.title }} | {{ site.title }}
{{ content }}
```
---
## Step 6: Test Locally (Optional)
### Prerequisites
```bash
# Install Ruby (if not installed)
# macOS: brew install ruby
# Ubuntu: sudo apt install ruby-full
# Install Bundler
gem install bundler
```
### Setup
Create `Gemfile`:
```ruby
source "https://rubygems.org"
gem "github-pages", group: :jekyll_plugins
# Optional plugins
gem "jekyll-feed"
gem "jekyll-seo-tag"
```
### Run Locally
```bash
# Install dependencies
bundle install
# Ruby 3.0+ may need:
bundle add webrick
# Start local server
bundle exec jekyll serve
# Or with live reload
bundle exec jekyll serve --livereload
# Access at http://localhost:4000
```
---
## Step 7: Deploy
```bash
# Commit changes
git add .
git commit -m "Setup Jekyll site"
git push origin main
```
Wait up to 10 minutes for deployment.
---
## Common Issues
### Theme Not Applying
- Verify theme name in `_config.yml` is correct
- Clear browser cache
- Check for YAML syntax errors
### Custom CSS Not Loading
- Ensure front matter dashes `---` at top of SCSS file
- Verify @import statement matches theme name
- Check file is in correct location
### Build Errors
- Check Actions tab for error messages
- Verify YAML front matter syntax
- Ensure all plugins are supported
---
## Useful Liquid Tags
```liquid
[About]({{ '/about' | relative_url }})
{% for post in site.posts %}
{{ post.excerpt }}
{% endfor %}
{{ site.github.repository_name }}
{{ site.github.project_title }}
```
---
## Resources
- [Jekyll Documentation](https://jekyllrb.com/docs/)
- [Liquid Template Language](https://shopify.github.io/liquid/)
- [GitHub Pages Theme Repository](https://github.com/pages-themes)