The Big Picture is a free, MIT-licensed Bootstrap starter template that pairs a full-page background image with a fixed bottom navigation bar, created and maintained by Start Bootstrap. It is distributed as a static HTML/CSS/JS site with an optional npm-based build pipeline that compiles SCSS and Pug source files into a deployable dist folder.
What is The Big Picture?
The Big Picture is a single-page HTML template built for the Bootstrap CSS framework, designed to display one large background image with a minimal overlay of text and a bottom-aligned navigation bar. It accepts plain HTML, SCSS, and JavaScript source files as input and outputs a static dist directory containing the compiled index.html, CSS, and JS ready to host on any web server. The template is part of the Start Bootstrap library, an open source collection of free Bootstrap themes created by David Miller and released under the MIT license.
Key Features
The template's key features center on a full-viewport background image, a fixed bottom navbar, and an optional npm build pipeline that compiles SCSS and Pug.
- Full-page background image — The layout anchors a single background image that scales to fill the entire browser viewport, with content layered on top.
- Fixed bottom navigation bar — A Bootstrap navbar fixed to the bottom of the screen, a distinctive layout choice that leaves the top of the page clean.
- Bootstrap-based styling — Built on the Bootstrap framework with repository metadata listing support for Bootstrap 4 and Bootstrap 5, so all standard grid, component, and utility classes are available.
- SCSS compilation — Source SCSS files in
src/scsscompile to a single CSS file indistusing the includednpm run buildscripts. - Pug template engine — HTML is generated from Pug files located in
src/pug, making it easier to reuse markup across pages. - Live-reload development server — Running
npm startlaunches a local preview, watches source files, and refreshes the browser automatically when changes are saved. - MIT license — The template can be used for personal and commercial projects without attribution or payment.
Who should use The Big Picture?
The Big Picture suits anyone who needs a fast, minimal Bootstrap site with a striking single image and a bottom navigation.
- Front-end developers who need a minimal Bootstrap starting point with a modern SCSS/Pug build setup and a deployed
distfolder for quick hosting. - Designers who want a bare canvas for a full-bleed image with a small amount of text and a bottom navigation, ideal for a single landing page.
- Hobbyists learning Bootstrap who can open
index.htmldirectly from thedistfolder to preview changes without any build tools.
What can you do with The Big Picture?
Typical uses include launching a product, teasing a coming soon page, or creating a one-page portfolio splash.
- Photo-heavy landing pages: Display a high-resolution background image with a short headline and call-to-action button to capture attention immediately.
- Coming soon or launch teaser pages: Use the single-section layout with a bottom nav to announce an upcoming product or event with minimal content.
- Portfolio splash screens: Present one outstanding image as a gateway to a larger portfolio, with the bottom navbar linking to secondary pages.
How does The Big Picture work?
For basic use, download the release, edit the HTML and CSS files inside the dist directory, and open index.html in a browser. For advanced use, clone the repository, run npm install, then run npm start; this opens a live preview, watches files in src, and recompiles Pug, SCSS, and JavaScript into dist on every save.
Pricing
The Big Picture is free to use. The template is released under the MIT license by Start Bootstrap LLC, which allows unrestricted personal and commercial use, including modification and redistribution.
FAQ
Is The Big Picture free?
Yes, The Big Picture is free and open source under the MIT license. You can use it in personal and commercial projects without paying anything, and there is no attribution requirement.
What Bootstrap version does it use?
The repository metadata lists both Bootstrap 4 and Bootstrap 5 among its topics, indicating that the template has been maintained across those framework versions. The core layout and components follow standard Bootstrap conventions.
How do I install The Big Picture?
You can download the latest release from the Start Bootstrap website, install it from npm with npm i startbootstrap-the-big-picture, or clone the GitHub repository. The simplest way to start is to download and edit the files in the dist directory.
Do I need npm to use the template?
No. For basic usage, you only need the compiled files in the dist directory. npm is required only for the advanced build environment, which compiles SCSS and Pug source files and runs a live-reload development server.
Can I customize the background image and navigation links?
Yes. Replace the image reference in the HTML or SCSS to change the full-page background, and edit the navbar entries in the template's HTML (or Pug source) to update the fixed bottom navigation.
