Hugo Learn Theme is a deprecated documentation theme for the Hugo static site generator, ported from the Grav Learn Theme and featuring automatic search, multilingual mode, and unlimited menu levels.
What is Hugo Learn Theme?
Hugo Learn Theme is a Hugo theme designed specifically for documentation websites. It takes Hugo content written in Markdown and renders a navigable documentation site with a sidebar, search, and breadcrumbs. The theme is based on the Grav Learn Theme and was created by matcornic. As of the latest update, the project is officially deprecated and the maintainer recommends migrating to Relearn, a maintained alternative.
Key Features
- Automatic Search — Provides built-in full-text search over your documentation without needing an external search service.
- Multilingual mode — Allows you to create docs in multiple languages, with language switching support.
- Unlimited menu levels — Supports deeply nested hierarchies in the sidebar menu.
- Automatic next/prev buttons — Generates previous and next navigation links based on the menu structure.
- Image resizing and shadow — Automatically resizes images and applies CSS shadow styles.
- Attachments files — Offers a shortcode to list downloadable files attached to a page.
- Mermaid diagram support — Embeds Mermaid.js to render flowchart, sequence, and gantt diagrams from text.
- Content shortcodes — Includes Buttons, Tip/Note/Info/Warning boxes, and Expand shortcodes for richer pages.
Who is it for?
- Technical writers who need a no-fuss docs site with search and multi-language support.
- Open-source maintainers who want to publish project documentation built from Markdown files.
- Documentation teams that want to organize large knowledge bases with unlimited sub-pages and file attachments.
What can you do with it?
- Technical writers: Publish multi-language documentation with automatic search and clear navigation.
- Product teams: Create a customer-facing help center with callout boxes, tips, and warning notices.
- Engineering teams: Document APIs and architecture using embedded Mermaid diagrams for flowcharts and sequence diagrams.
How does it work?
To use Hugo Learn Theme, navigate to your Hugo site's themes folder and run git clone https://github.com/matcornic/hugo-theme-learn.git. Ensure your Hugo version is at least 0.25 by running hugo version. Then configure your site config to use the theme and write content as Markdown pages.
Pros and cons
- Pros: Rich feature set for documentation sites; supports unlimited menu levels; automatic search without external services.
- Cons: The theme is deprecated and no longer maintained; requires Hugo 0.25 or newer; the main alternative, Relearn, is recommended for new projects.
Alternatives
- Relearn — a maintained fork of Hugo Learn Theme that the repository itself suggests migrating to.
- Docdock — a fork created by @vjeantet that served as the basis for Hugo Learn Theme's v2.
FAQ
Is Hugo Learn Theme still maintained?
No, the project is deprecated. The repository readme states the project is not maintained anymore and recommends considering migration to another theme such as Relearn.
How do I install Hugo Learn Theme?
Clone the repository into your Hugo site's themes directory: git clone https://github.com/matcornic/hugo-theme-learn.git. Then check that your Hugo version is at least 0.25.
Does Hugo Learn Theme support multiple languages?
Yes, it has a multilingual mode. You can organize your content in several languages and the theme provides language-switching support.
What Hugo version is required?
Hugo version 0.25 or higher is required, as stated in the installation instructions.
Can I use Mermaid diagrams with this theme?
Yes, the theme has built-in support for Mermaid diagrams, including flowcharts, sequence diagrams, and gantt charts.
