Minimal Text is a clean, lightweight Jekyll theme for text-focused blogs, configurable via _config.yml and available for purchase on Gumroad.
What is Minimal Text?
Minimal Text is a Jekyll theme that outputs a static, text-first blog. It accepts standard Jekyll input — Markdown posts and _config.yml settings — and generates a site with a single post.html layout. The theme is distributed through Gumroad, and its GitHub repository carries the description "Minimal Text Theme, Same version, new repository." with 22 stars.
Key Features
- Configurable baseurl — Set
baseurlin_config.ymlto prepend it to asset links and the home button inpost.html; the value must start with/. - Built-in pagination — Configure
paginate(number of post blocks per page) andpaginate_path(URL structure for paginated blog listings) in_config.yml. - Lightweight and clean design — The theme is explicitly described as 'clean and lightweight', focusing on minimal text presentation without heavyweight dependencies.
- Jekyll platform — Built on Jekyll, the Ruby-based static site generator, so it supports standard Jekyll features like Liquid templates and Markdown content.
- Commercial distribution — Sold via Gumroad; a 'Buy on Gumroad' button links directly to the product page at wkmn.gumroad.com/l/uobbk.
- Documentation from user feedback — The included documentation covers baseurl and pagination because users requested it, and the author invites requests for more documentation.
Who is it for?
- Text-focused bloggers — Writers who want a minimal, readable blog without unnecessary scripts or styling.
- Jekyll users — Developers already comfortable with Jekyll who need a simple theme they can drop into an existing project.
- Self-hosters — Users who plan to host on GitHub Pages or a subpath; the
baseurloption supports site deployment under a subdirectory like/Minimal-Text.
What can you do with Minimal Text?
- Set up a blog quickly — Configure
paginateandpaginate_pathin_config.ymlto create paginated post listings without writing custom code. - Deploy under a subpath — Use
baseurlto ensure asset links and home navigation work when the site lives at a URL likegh.clarkhacks.com/Minimal-Text. - Write in Markdown — Author posts as Markdown files and have them rendered in a consistent, typographically simple layout.
FAQ
Is Minimal Text a paid theme?
Yes, Minimal Text is sold on Gumroad. The 'Buy on Gumroad' button on the theme's page links to wkmn.gumroad.com/l/uobbk, where the theme can be purchased.
What does the baseurl setting do?
The baseurl setting in _config.yml defines the subpath where the site is hosted. It must start with /. This value is prepended to asset links and the home button in the post.html layout, so the site works correctly when deployed under a directory like /Minimal-Text.
How does pagination work in Minimal Text?
Pagination is controlled by two settings: paginate sets the number of post blocks shown per page, and paginate_path sets the URL pattern for subsequent pages. Both are defined in _config.yml.
