JBake Future Imperfect Template is a free, MIT-licensed blog theme for the JBake static site generator, adapted from HTML5 UP's Future Imperfect design via Julio Pescador's Hugo port.
What is the JBake Future Imperfect Template?
It takes JBake content (written in AsciiDoc or Markdown) plus a jbake.properties configuration file and renders a responsive, static HTML5 blog site. The theme uses FreeMarker templates and is maintained by Manik Magar. It's compatible with JBake 2.6.5 and produces static files you can host on any web server or GitHub Pages.
Key Features
- Disqus comments — Enable reader comments on posts by setting site.disqus.shortname in jbake.properties.
- Google Analytics — Add your tracking ID via site.google.trackingid to capture page views.
- Estimated reading time — Set site.includeReadTiem=true to display a per-post reading time, calculated by the reading-time JavaScript library.
- Configurable main menu — Define menu items, labels, URLs, and Font Awesome icons entirely from site.menus.* properties in jbake.properties.
- Social links — Configure sidebar social profiles via sidebar.social.* properties.
- JSON feed — Generates a JSON Feed (feed.json) by default, and can be switched to a traditional XML RSS feed by editing two properties.
- GitHub Pages 404 page — Includes a 404.html page in the content folder that GitHub automatically uses for missing URLs.
- Featured images — Support for featuredimage and featuredalt metadata on posts.
Who should use the JBake Future Imperfect Template?
- JBake users who want a polished, mobile-friendly blog theme without building templates from scratch.
- Developers who prefer configuration-driven themes — all navigation, social links, and feed settings live in one jbake.properties file.
- GitHub Pages hosts who want a ready-made 404 page and integrated feed generation.
What can you do with the JBake Future Imperfect Template?
- Publish a personal blog: Create content in JBake's supported markup, configure your menu and social links, and generate a static site with Disqus comments and analytics.
- Switch feed formats: Use the default JSON Feed or flip to an XML RSS feed by changing feed.file and template.feed.file properties.
- Customize navigation without touching templates: Reorder or add main menu items and their Font Awesome icons entirely from jbake.properties.
How does the JBake Future Imperfect Template work?
- Install JBake from jbake.org.
- Clone the repository (or copy the template files) into your site folder.
- Edit jbake.properties to set your site's metadata, menu, Disqus shortname, and analytics ID.
- Run
jbake -b -sto build and serve the site locally at http://localhost:8820/.
Pricing
The template is free and open source under the MIT license, so you can use it for personal or commercial projects without payment.
Alternatives
- Hugo Future Imperfect — the original Hugo port by Julio Pescador that this JBake version is based on.
- HTML5 UP Future Imperfect — the source responsive HTML5 theme, which can be adapted to other static site generators.
FAQ
Is the JBake Future Imperfect Template free?
Yes, it is released under the MIT license, which permits free use, modification, and distribution for personal or commercial projects.
How do I enable Disqus comments?
Add your Disqus shortname to jbake.properties with the property site.disqus.shortname and rebuild the site.
Does the template support RSS feeds?
Yes, it generates a JSON Feed by default at feed.json. To get an XML RSS feed instead, comment out the JSON feed properties and uncomment the RSS feed properties in jbake.properties.
How do I customize the main menu?
Set site.menus.main to a comma-separated list of menu item keys, then define label, url, and icon properties for each key under site.menus.main.
What version of JBake is required?
The template is compatible with JBake 2.6.5.
