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2022 February, 1

Series Elements

This is part 2 in a 4-part series:

  • 2023-10-18 · Part 1 · URLs
  • 2022-02-01 · Part 2 · J1 Theme
  • 2021-02-01 · Part 3 · Site Generators
  • 2021-01-01 · Part 4 · Cookies
About the template

J1 Template is a Bootstrap V5 website template for the static site generator Jekyll. The Theme J1 has been developed to create simple but fully configurable websites. Jekyll One is a full-featured Theme for Jekyll to create modern websites for free.

J1 Template is a Bootstrap V5 website template for the static site generator Jekyll.

The Theme J1 has been developed to create simple but fully configurable websites. Jekyll One is a full-featured Theme for Jekyll to create modern websites for free.

2 Minutes to read

Background

Many large companies today, like //docs.docker.com/[Docker, window="_blank"] are using template-based systems to create their documentation web sites. Or like //atlas.oreilly.com/[Atlas, window="_blank"] a writers platform for books or extensive documentation created and managed by the publishing company O’Reilly.

All these platforms are technically different, but they share common ideas:

  • the layout of all content is based on a standard skeleton but separated from the content

  • content is written using a neutral meta-language

  • the final output is not predefined

  • the result is automatically generated by engines

To make these real, a lot of things are to be managed. The approaches of Docker or O’Reilly points to a possible solution: a template system based on Bootstrap for the CSS framework, and Jekyll or Liquid for the core engines, and finally Asciidoc for a neutral meta-language writing content.

Next steps

The next thought comes to my mind. Why developing a toolset for only document servers? Documentation webs of today are complex websites. Some features used for general web design may be not needed for documentation systems, but a lot of components are required that are wanted in general:

  • a powerful CSS and Javascript framework

  • a modular approach for dynamic content and apps

  • a configuration system to separate content from the layout and to automate creation processes following the development pattern Model–View–Controller.

A plan was made in 2016, based on Jekyll V3 and Bootstrap V3, to create a template-based robot system that can be used for all types of websites, for all standard formats to create digital content.

Today

I was too optimistic about how long it would take to build such a system:

  • easy to use by developers and non-technical people

  • modular, powerful and stable

  • supporting modern design based on HTML V5 and Bootstrap V5

  • usable on common computer hardware

  • fully responsible on all devices

  • entirely usable on PCs locally as well as on powerful remote systems on the Internet

It took me ages. Now in 2023, I can present the latest version of J1 Template for the public. Hopefully, most of the objectives I had on my mind are achieved.

Happy Jekylling!