Driftwood is a lightweight Jekyll template that provides a complete starting point for creating, hosting, and publishing a podcast site using GitHub and GitHub Pages. It is designed to be set up quickly by following the instructions in the included START_HERE.md file, making it a practical choice for podcasters who want a simple, code-based workflow.
What is Driftwood?
Driftwood is a free, open-source Jekyll template for building a podcast website. It takes your podcast episodes (typically as audio files) and generates a static website with episode listing and show notes, which you can host on GitHub Pages. The template is adapted from the Kiko theme by @gfjaru under the MIT License, and it is maintained as a public repository on GitHub.
Key Features
- Lightweight and fast — Built on Jekyll, a static site generator that produces plain HTML files, so the site loads quickly and requires no server-side processing or database.
- GitHub-powered hosting — The template is designed to work with GitHub Pages, meaning you can host the podcast site for free directly from a GitHub repository.
- Quick setup — A
START_HERE.mdfile guides you through the initial configuration, so you can go from cloning the repo to publishing a podcast site in a short time. - Adapted from Kiko — The design is based on the Kiko Jekyll theme (MIT License), providing a clean, blog-like layout suitable for podcast episodes.
- Markdown-based content — Episodes and show notes are written in Markdown, making it easy to edit content without a full CMS.
- No external dependencies — The template does not require a database or third-party services for basic operation, keeping the site simple and portable.
Who is it for?
Driftwood is aimed at podcasters and developers who want a minimal, code-controlled podcast site. It is ideal for:
- Indie podcasters — Who want to launch a podcast website with low cost and minimal technical overhead.
- Jekyll users — Who are comfortable editing Markdown and YAML files and want to extend or customize the template.
- Developers on GitHub — Who prefer to manage content and updates through Git workflows rather than a traditional CMS.
What can you do with Driftwood?
- Launch a new podcast site — Use the template to quickly create a landing page for your podcast with episode listings and show notes.
- Publish episodes — Add new episodes by creating a new Markdown file with episode metadata and the audio file link, then push to GitHub to update the live site.
- Host for free — Take advantage of GitHub Pages' free static hosting (subject to GitHub's terms and usage limits) to avoid hosting costs.
- Customize the design — Modify the Jekyll templates and CSS to alter the look and feel, since the theme is based on the MIT-licensed Kiko theme.
How does Driftwood work?
The setup process is straightforward: clone the repository, read the START_HERE.md file for instructions, edit the configuration files to set your podcast details, add episode posts, and push the repository to GitHub. GitHub Pages automatically builds the Jekyll site and serves it at your chosen URL. The workflow is entirely Git-based, so you manage your podcast through commits.
Pricing
Driftwood is free and open source. The template is released under the MIT License, and hosting on GitHub Pages is free for public repositories (paid plans are available for private hosting with additional features). There are no subscription costs inherent to the template itself.
FAQ
Is Driftwood free to use?
Yes, Driftwood is open source under the MIT License, so you can use, modify, and distribute it freely. Hosting on GitHub Pages is also free for public repositories.
Do I need to know programming to use Driftwood?
Basic familiarity with Jekyll and Markdown helps. The template provides a START_HERE.md guide, and you can manage content by editing text files. No advanced programming is required for standard use.
Can I host my podcast directly with this template?
The template hosts your podcast's website, not the audio files themselves. Audio files are typically stored elsewhere (e.g., GitHub Releases, a CDN, or your own storage) and linked into episode posts. GitHub Pages has a 1 GB repository limit and a soft bandwidth limit, so large audio files are better hosted externally.
What theme is Driftwood based on?
Driftwood's design is adapted from the Kiko Jekyll theme, created by @gfjaru and released under the MIT License. This means the original copyright notice is preserved in the project.
Can I use Driftwood without GitHub?
Yes, because it is a standard Jekyll site, you can build and host it on any Jekyll-compatible hosting service (such as Netlify or Cloudflare Pages). However, the template’s setup instructions and default workflow are optimized for GitHub.
