hugo-vitae is an open-source Hugo theme for building minimal personal websites and blogs, with built-in right-to-left (RTL) support and integrations for self-hosted commenting and privacy-friendly analytics. It is a continued version of the original Vitae theme, maintained by Farooq Karimi Zadeh on Codeberg.
What is hugo-vitae?
hugo-vitae is a static site theme for the Hugo static site generator. It takes content written in Markdown (or other Hugo-supported formats) and renders it into a minimal, fast website with no database and no server-side processing. The theme's core code is 79.6% JavaScript, 17.9% CSS, and 2.5% HTML, and it includes i18n translation files, layout templates, and static assets. The project is developed on Codeberg and has seen 287 commits, 3 branches, and 40 tags.
Key Features
- RTL support — Full right-to-left layout support, with translation files for Persian (fa) and other languages in the i18n directory.
- Isso comments — Integrated support for the self-hosted Isso comment engine, allowing you to add comments without a third-party service.
- GoatCounter analytics — Documented feature for adding GoatCounter, a lightweight and privacy-friendly web analytics tool.
- Archetypes — Includes archetypes that scaffold new content pages with predefined front matter.
- Example site — The examples directory contains a fully configured example site you can run to preview the theme.
- Minimal design — A clean, minimal aesthetic inherited from the original Vitae theme, with a focus on readability.
- Multilingual support — The i18n directory enables easy translation of theme strings for multiple locales.
Who is it for?
hugo-vitae is for individuals and developers who want a lightweight, fast personal website or blog without the overhead of a full content management system. It is especially suited for writers and developers who work in right-to-left languages such as Persian, Arabic, or Hebrew. The theme also appeals to users who prefer self-hosted tools, since it supports the Isso comment engine and GoatCounter analytics out of the box.
Use cases
- Personal bloggers — Publish Markdown-based posts and generate a static site with Hugo in seconds.
- RTL-language content creators — Build a site that displays Persian or Arabic text correctly with full right-to-left layout.
- Privacy-conscious site owners — Add self-hosted Isso comments and GoatCounter analytics instead of Google services.
- Portfolio showcase — Use the minimal layout to present projects and about pages with minimal distraction.
Pricing
hugo-vitae is free and open source. The full source code is available on Codeberg under the LICENSE file in the repository, with no paid tiers or premium features.
FAQ
Is hugo-vitae free?
Yes, hugo-vitae is open source and available for free on Codeberg. You can view the LICENSE file in the repository for the exact terms, and there are no paid plans or premium add-ons.
Does hugo-vitae support right-to-left languages?
Yes, hugo-vitae includes full right-to-left (RTL) support. The i18n directory contains translations for Persian (fa) and other languages, and the layout templates are designed to handle RTL scripts correctly.
What comment system does hugo-vitae use?
hugo-vitae supports the Isso comment engine, a self-hosted, lightweight alternative to Disqus. A commit message confirms the integration, and the examples directory likely includes a configuration for it.
Does hugo-vitae include analytics?
hugo-vitae includes documentation for integrating GoatCounter, a simple, privacy-respecting web analytics tool. This feature is confirmed by a commit message titled "Add docs about goatcounter feature."
