Will Jekyll Template

Will Jekyll Template is a simple, minimalist Jekyll theme built for developers who want to publish blog posts without writing frontend code; it uses Gulp and Stylus for asset compilation and ships with a live search, off-canvas menu, tags/series pages, RSS feed, and sitemap.

What is Will Jekyll Template?

Will Jekyll Template is a free, open-source Jekyll theme created by Willian Justen, designed to turn markdown posts into a fast, static blog. As input, it takes Jekyll site content (markdown files in _posts, plus _config.yml settings) and produces a static HTML site with inline SVG icons, a live search component, an off-canvas menu, an About Me page, and automated tag and series archives. The theme runs wherever Jekyll runs and relies on Gulp to compile Stylus stylesheets using the Jeet, Rupture, and Kouto Swiss libraries.

What makes Will Jekyll Template stand out?

• Gulp asset pipeline – Compiles Stylus with Jeet, Rupture, and Kouto Swiss, processes script files, and recompiles automatically during development.
• Live Search – Uses simpleJekyllSearch to filter posts in the browser as the visitor types, with no server-side search required.
• Offcanvas Menu – A slide-in navigation panel that works on both desktop and mobile without extra plugins.
• Shell script for posts – Run ./initpost.sh -c "Post Title" to create a new dated markdown file in _posts with pre-filled front-matter.
• Tags and Series pages – Generates separate index pages that group posts by tag or by series, giving readers alternative ways to browse content.
• Color and Info Customization – Change the primary color by editing the main variable in src/styl/variable, and update user details in _config.yml.
• RSS and Sitemap – Includes feed.xml and sitemap.xml out of the box for subscriptions and search engine indexing.
• Small and fast – The theme uses SVG icons and minimal JavaScript, keeping the page weight low.

Who should use Will Jekyll Template?

• Developer bloggers – Anyone who knows markdown and wants a no-fuss blog without learning CSS or JavaScript; they write posts and run gulp to compile assets.
• Jekyll beginners – The README provides step-by-step setup, from forking the repo to editing _config.yml and using the post-creation script.
• Technical writers – Those who produce long-form series or tagged tutorials benefit from the built-in series and tag archive pages.

What can you do with Will Jekyll Template?

• Publish technical blog posts – Write in markdown, assign tags and categories in the front-matter, and the theme automatically generates tag and series pages.
• Customize the look without touching HTML – Modify Stylus variables for colors and adjust site/user settings in _config.yml; Gulp rebuilds stylesheets.
• Deploy a fast static site – Because the output is plain HTML with no heavy frameworks, it can be hosted on GitHub Pages or any static host.

How does Will Jekyll Template work?

1. Install Jekyll and a Node.js version at or below v11, then fork and clone the repository.
2. Edit _config.yml to set your description, baseurl, URL, username, social links, and Disqus username.
3. Run npm install and then gulp to compile assets and start the local Jekyll server.
4. Create posts with ./initpost.sh -c "Post Title" and fill in the front-matter fields (title, date, image, description, tags, categories).
5. Build and deploy the generated static site to any hosting service.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Free and open source under the MIT License, so no attribution is required.
• Pro: Very lightweight, with inline SVG icons and no frontend framework dependencies.
• Con: The project is no longer maintained, so issues may not be fixed.
• Con: The build tooling only supports Node v11 or lower, which can conflict with modern Node versions.

Pricing

Will Jekyll Template is free to use. The repository states it is distributed under the MIT License, with no mention of paid tiers.

FAQ

Is Will Jekyll Template free?

Yes, the theme is free and open source under the MIT License. You can use it on personal or commercial sites without paying and without linking back.

What Node version do I need?

The project requirement says it “only works until Node v11-”, meaning the Gulp build relies on older Node features. If you use newer Node versions, the asset pipeline may fail.

Is Will Jekyll Template still maintained?

No. The repository’s first line is a warning that the project is not maintained anymore. That means you should expect no further updates and plan to maintain your own fork.

How do I create a new post?

From the theme root, run ./initpost.sh -c "Post Title". The script creates a file in _posts with a timestamped filename and opens a front-matter template for you to edit.

How do I change the site’s primary color?

Open src/styl/variable, change the value of the main variable, and re-run gulp. Other color variables control body text and code backgrounds.