Middleman Bootstrap Template

Middleman Bootstrap Template is a project template for the Middleman v4 static site generator that scaffolds a Bootstrap v4-based, mobile-first blog starter with pre-wired asset handling, third-party integrations, and a one-command install.

What is the Middleman Bootstrap Template?

The Middleman Bootstrap Template is a project template (not a standalone theme) that generates a new Middleman v4 site with Bootstrap v4, Font Awesome 4.7, and a suite of Middleman extensions pre-installed. It takes a fresh Middleman project and produces a configured blog-ready skeleton that includes sitemap generation, Disqus comments, Google Analytics, and syntax highlighting. The author emphasizes that it is a flexible foundation and intentionally avoids design assumptions, so the default styling is minimal.

Key Features

• middleman-blog 4.0 — Full blog functionality including articles, archives, tags, and feeds integrated as a Middleman extension.
• Bootstrap v4 and Font Awesome 4.7 — Pre-wired Bootstrap 4 stylesheets and Font Awesome icons let new pages inherit the responsive grid and icon set without extra setup.
• Asset pipeline with Sprockets and Autoprefixer — middleman-sprockets 4.1 bundles JavaScript and CSS dependencies; middleman-autoprefixer 2.7 adds vendor prefixes automatically at build time.
• Disqus and Google Analytics extensions — middleman-disqus 1.2 adds comment threads; middleman-google-analytics 3.0 injects the analytics snippet for production builds.
• Syntax highlighting — middleman-syntax 3.0 provides code highlighting for blog posts and documentation.
• Automatic sitemap.xml — The build step produces a sitemap without extra configuration.
• Legacy IE warning overlay — Visitors on Internet Explorer versions below 10 see a warning overlay automatically.

Who should use the Middleman Bootstrap Template?

• Static site developers building a new blog or content site in Middleman who want Bootstrap's responsive grid out of the box.
• Middleman newcomers looking for a pre-configured project that wires up blog, comments, analytics, and asset pipelines so they can begin writing content immediately.
• Developers needing a non-blog foundation — the template documents how to strip blog-specific parts, leaving a plain Bootstrap v4 Middleman site.

What can you do with the Middleman Bootstrap Template?

• Launch a blog quickly: Scaffold a project, run bundle install, and start middleman server to get a local dev server with blog article support.
• Publish to static hosting: The author provides a demo hosted on S3, so the generated static files are suitable for any static hosting that serves HTML.
• Integrate third-party services: Because Disqus and Google Analytics are already wired, adding comment sections and tracking to posts is a configuration change rather than a build task.

How does the Middleman Bootstrap Template work?

1. Install Middleman per its documentation.
2. Run middleman init -B -T mattolson/middleman-bootstrap-template my_project.
3. cd my_project && bundle install.
4. middleman server to preview; middleman build to generate the static site.

FAQ

Is this a theme I can use as-is?

No. The template is intentionally a minimal, flexible foundation based on Bootstrap v4. The author states it is not a theme and advises not to judge it on looks; you can purchase Bootstrap 4 themes from WrapBootstrap and integrate them.

How do I remove the blog functionality?

The README outlines a six-step process: delete source/blog and article.erb, remove middleman-blog and middleman-disqus from the Gemfile, strip blog styles from base.css.scss, delete blog settings from config.rb, and update the homepage index.html.erb.

Does it include comments and analytics?

Yes. middleman-disqus 1.2 provides Disqus comment threads, and middleman-google-analytics 3.0 adds Google Analytics tracking. Both are included in the Gemfile and configured in the template.

What Middleman version does it target?

Middleman v4. The template pins specific extension versions including middleman-blog 4.0, middleman-sprockets 4.1, middleman-autoprefixer 2.7, and middleman-syntax 3.0.

Can I use the template for a non-blog site?

Yes. The README provides explicit removal steps for blog-specific files and settings, leaving a generic Bootstrap v4 Middleman project as the starting point.