jekyll-theme-8bit

jekyll-theme-8bit is a Jekyll theme that gives static sites the look and feel of classic 8-bit video games, built on NES.css. It lets you turn a standard Jekyll site — Markdown or HTML content — into a pixel-art styled website, either locally or directly on GitHub Pages.

What is jekyll-theme-8bit?

jekyll-theme-8bit is an open-source Jekyll theme created by julianolf. It takes a Jekyll site as input and produces a fully styled static website with an 8-bit game aesthetic. The theme is distributed as a Ruby gem and also supports GitHub Pages' remote theme mechanism, so you can use it without a local build step. Its primary styling system is NES.css, a CSS framework that recreates NES-era interface elements like chunky borders and pixel fonts.

What makes jekyll-theme-8bit stand out?

• Authentic 8-bit styling — The theme is powered by NES.css, a CSS library that mimics the look of NES game interfaces, including pixelated buttons, form controls, and dialog boxes.
• GitHub Pages ready — You can activate the theme by adding remote_theme: julianolf/jekyll-theme-8bit to your _config.yml; no local Jekyll installation is required for hosting on GitHub Pages.
• Gem installation — For standard Jekyll projects, add gem "jekyll-theme-8bit" to your Gemfile and set theme: jekyll-theme-8bit in your configuration.
• Live preview — A hosted demo is available at julianolf.github.io/jekyll-theme-8bit/, letting you see the exact visual appearance before committing to the theme.
• MIT licensed — The theme is open source under the MIT License, so you can use, modify, and include it in commercial projects without restrictions.
• Wiki documentation — Detailed customization instructions are maintained on the project's GitHub wiki, covering configuration and theming options.
• Community governance — The project welcomes bug reports and pull requests, and contributors are expected to follow the Contributor Covenant code of conduct.

Who is it for?

• Retro game enthusiasts — People who want a personal blog, portfolio, or fan site with a nostalgic 8-bit game interface will get an authentic pixel-art look out of the box.
• Jekyll developers — Anyone building a Jekyll site who wants a ready-made visual theme without writing custom SCSS or manually integrating a CSS framework.
• GitHub Pages users — Those hosting a free static site on GitHub Pages can apply the theme instantly via the remote_theme setting, with no local development environment.

Use cases

• Retro-themed blogs: Launch a blog with an 8-bit aesthetic by installing the theme and writing posts in Markdown; all styling is applied automatically.
• Indie game devlogs: A game developer can use the theme for a devlog or landing page that matches the pixel-art style of their game project.
• Retro portfolios: Creative professionals can showcase their work with a distinctive retro interface, using NES.css components for buttons and forms to create a cohesive experience.

FAQ

How do I install jekyll-theme-8bit?

Add gem "jekyll-theme-8bit" to your Gemfile and set theme: jekyll-theme-8bit in your _config.yml, then run bundle. Alternatively, use remote_theme: julianolf/jekyll-theme-8bit for GitHub Pages.

Does jekyll-theme-8bit work with GitHub Pages?

Yes. GitHub Pages supports the remote_theme mechanism, so you can set remote_theme: julianolf/jekyll-theme-8bit in your _config.yml and publish your site without a local build, provided you are using a GitHub Pages-compatible Jekyll setup.

Is jekyll-theme-8bit free to use?

Yes, it is open source and released under the MIT License. You can use it for personal or commercial projects, modify it, and redistribute it, as long as you include the original copyright notice.

Can I customize jekyll-theme-8bit?

The project maintains a wiki with detailed customization instructions. You can modify the theme directly by forking the repository, or follow the wiki to adjust settings like colors, fonts, and layout for your site.