Agency Jekyll Theme is a Jekyll template for agency and business websites, converting the Agency Bootstrap theme into a gem-based theme with GitHub Pages support, contact forms, and multi-language content.
What is the Agency Jekyll Theme?
The Agency Jekyll Theme is a Jekyll port of the Agency Bootstrap theme from Start Bootstrap, maintained by Ravi Riley and distributed as the jekyll-agency Ruby gem. It takes Jekyll content (Markdown files, YAML configuration, and portfolio items) and generates a static agency-style website that can be hosted on GitHub Pages. The theme supports installation as a gem, as a remote theme in _config.yml, or through a starter template repo that creates a new site in minutes.
Key Features
- GitHub Pages support — Deploy directly to GitHub Pages with no extra build steps, using either the starter template or remote theme method.
- Formspree contact form — The contact form uses Formspree.io to handle submissions, updated to the new Formspree structure to prevent spam.
- Multi-language support — Includes English, Spanish, and German translations, configurable through the site's data files.
- Google Analytics — Drop in your Google Analytics tracking ID to enable site traffic analytics.
- Custom pages and 404 page — The
pagelayout supports creating additional pages such as a legal/privacy policy page or a custom 404 error page. - Fully customizable text and navigation —
sitetext.ymlcontrols all on-page text, whilenavigation.ymldefines the navigation bar links and order. - Style customization —
style.ymllets you change accent color, dark/light color scheme, background images, and footer content without touching HTML. - Portfolio grid — Each project in the
_portfoliofolder becomes a grid item; YAML front matter handles the title, description, and image. - Logo support — Use an image logo instead of plain text in the header.
- Automatic copyright year — The footer copyright year updates itself each year.
Who is it for?
The theme is aimed at freelancers, small agencies, and businesses that want a professional, portfolio-focused website with minimal maintenance. It's also a good fit for Jekyll users who need quick deployment on GitHub Pages and want to avoid maintaining a separate build pipeline.
What can you do with it?
- Freelancers: Launch a personal agency site with a portfolio grid, services section, and contact form in under an hour using the starter template.
- Agencies: Customize all copy, navigation, and colors through YAML files to match a client's brand, then ship the site on GitHub Pages.
- Developers: Use the theme as a base for client projects, extending it with custom pages (privacy policy, 404) and integrating Google Analytics.
- Multilingual teams: Switch the entire site between English, Spanish, and German via the language data files.
How does it work?
Install the theme by adding gem "jekyll-agency" to your Gemfile and running bundle install, then copy the sample _config.yml from the repo. Alternatively, click the "Use this template" button on the starter repo to generate a new GitHub repository preconfigured with the theme, or specify jekyll-agency as a remote theme in your _config.yml. After installation, edit _portfolio, sitetext.yml, navigation.yml, and style.yml to build out your site.
Pricing
The theme is free and open source, released under the MIT License. There are no paid tiers or licensing fees; you can use it for personal or commercial projects.
FAQ
Is the Agency Jekyll Theme free?
Yes, the theme is open source under the MIT License, so it is free to use in personal and commercial projects. You can also contribute to its development via GitHub issues and pull requests.
Can I use it with GitHub Pages?
Yes, the theme has explicit GitHub Pages support. You can deploy it by using the starter template or setting it as a remote theme in your site's _config.yml.
How do I set up the contact form?
The contact form is powered by Formspree.io. After creating a Formspree form, you update the form endpoint in the theme's configuration. The README notes that legacy email-based forms are being phased out, and the theme uses the new Formspree structure.
Does it support multiple languages?
The theme currently includes English, Spanish, and German translations. You can add more languages by creating new translation files; Chinese and Arabic are listed as open contributions.
Can I change the colors and layout?
Yes, the style.yml file lets you set a custom accent color, dark or light color scheme, background images, and footer content. Navigation and all site text are also configurable through YAML without editing HTML.
