block-log

block-log is a Jekyll blog theme designed to run on GitHub Pages, turning Markdown posts and a single YAML config file into a clean static blog. The theme was created by Anandu B Ajith, is MIT licensed, and has 31 stars on GitHub.

What is block-log?

block-log is a minimal Jekyll blog theme that runs on GitHub Pages. It takes posts written in Markdown (or other formats) placed in the _posts directory and renders them into a static site using a single _config.yml file for all site settings. The theme is built on Jekyll, the static site generator, and is designed for quick setup via git clone and push.

Key Features

• Jekyll-based — Built for Jekyll, so posts are plain text files with no database required.
• GitHub Pages ready — Works out of the box with GitHub Pages; you can publish by simply pushing to a repository.
• Customizable config — All site settings live in _config.yml: title, description, URL, permalink, social handles, email, and Disqus ID.
• Disqus comments — Optional Disqus comments enabled by setting a disqus-id in the config; leave blank to disable.
• Social links — Includes GitHub and Twitter profile links configured via the config file.
• Post naming convention — Posts are added as year-month-day-title.md in _posts; other Jekyll-supported formats also work.
• Custom permalink — Default permalink format is /year/title and can be changed in the config.
• Compressed SCSS — CSS is written in SCSS and compiled with compressed output for faster loading.

Who is it for?

• Personal bloggers who want a fast, free blog hosted on GitHub Pages without managing a server.
• Developers who are comfortable with git and editing config files and want a minimal theme to customize.
• Jekyll newcomers who want a simple, readable codebase to learn Jekyll and GitHub Pages workflows.

What can you do with block-log?

• Personal blogs: publish Markdown posts about any topic and get a clean, linkable blog with optional comments.
• Portfolio sites: adapt the theme to show projects by updating the config and adding pages.
• Open-source documentation: use the blog format for changelogs or release notes with minimal effort.

How does block-log work?

1. Clone or fork the repository from GitHub.
2. Edit _config.yml with your site title, description, URL, and social links.
3. Add post files to _posts using the YYYY-MM-DD-title.md format.
4. Commit and git push to your GitHub repository; GitHub Pages builds the site automatically.

FAQ

Is block-log free?

Yes, block-log is open source under the MIT License, so it is free to use and modify for personal or commercial projects.

How do I add comments to my blog?

Set a Disqus Shortname in the disqus-id field in _config.yml. Leave it blank to disable comments entirely.

Does block-log support Markdown?

Yes, posts are typically Markdown files, but the theme also supports other file formats accepted by Jekyll, such as HTML, as noted in the setup instructions.

Can I host block-log on my own server?

Yes, since it is a Jekyll site, you can build it locally and deploy the generated static files to any web host, not just GitHub Pages.

How do I update the theme after forking?

Pull changes from the original repository or clone it fresh and reapply your config changes to get the latest updates.