hacks-guide-minimal-mistake.../_docs/09-layouts.md

---
title: "Layouts"
permalink: /docs/layouts/
excerpt:
sidebar:
  title: "v3.0"
  nav: docs
single_layout_gallery:
  - image_path: mm-layout-single-header.png
    alt: "single layout with header example"
  - image_path: mm-layout-single-meta.png
    alt: "single layout with comments and related posts"
---

{% include base_path %}
{% include toc icon="columns" title="Included Layouts" %}

The bread and butter of any theme. Below you'll find the layouts included with Minimal Mistakes, what they look like and the type of content they've been built for.

## Default Layout

The base layout all other layouts inherit from. There's not much to this layout apart from pulling in several `_includes`:

* `<head>` elements
* masthead navigation links
* {% raw %}`{{ content }}`{% endraw %}
* page footer
* scripts

**Note:** You won't ever assign this layout directly to a post or page. Instead all other layouts will build off of it by setting `layout: default` in their YAML Front Matter.
{: .notice--warning}

## Compress Layout

A Jekyll layout that compresses HTML in pure Liquid.

* [Documentation](http://jch.penibelst.de/)

## Single Layout

The layout you'll likely use the most --- sidebar and main content combo with the following optional modules: **social sharing links**, **comments**, and **related posts**.

{% include gallery id="single_layout_gallery" caption="Image header and meta info examples for `single` layout" %}

Assign with `layout: single`, or better yet apply as a [Front Matter default]({{ base_path }}/docs/configuration/#front-matter-defaults) in `_config.yml`.

## Archive Layout

Essentially the same as `single` with markup adjustments and some modules removed.

![archive layout example]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-layout-archive.png)

Below are sample archive pages you can easily drop into your project, taking care to rename `permalink`, `title`, or the filename to fit your site. Each is 100% compatible with GitHub Pages.

* [All Posts Grouped by Category][posts-categories]
* [All Posts Grouped by Tags][posts-tags]
* [All Posts Grouped by Year][posts-year]
* [All Posts Grouped by Collection][posts-collection]

[posts-categories]: {{ site.gh_repo }}/blob/gh-pages/_pages/category-archive.html
[posts-tags]: {{ site.gh_repo }}/blob/gh-pages/_pages/tag-archive.html
[posts-year]: {{ site.gh_repo }}/blob/gh-pages/_pages/year-archive.html
[posts-collection]: {{ site.gh_repo }}/blob/gh-pages/_pages/collection-archive.html

### Taxonomy Archive

If you have the luxury of using Jekyll plugins the creation of category and tag archives is greatly simplified. Enable support for the [`jekyll-archives`](https://github.com/jekyll/jekyll-archives) plugin with a few `_config.yml` settings as noted in the [**Configuration**]({{ base_path }}/docs/configuration/#archive-settings) section.

![archive taxonomy layout example]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-layout-archive-taxonomy.png)

### Home Page

Minimal Mistakes ships with an [`index.html`]({{ site.gh_repo }}/blob/master/index.html) in the root of the project for displaying the 5 most recent posts --- with pagination. It does this by assigning `layout: archive` in the YAML Front Matter and including the following Liquid in the body:

```html
{% raw %}<!-- start index.html body -->
{% include base_path %}

<h3 class="archive__subtitle">Recent Posts</h3>

{% for post in paginator.posts %}
  {% include archive-single.html %}
{% endfor %}

{% include paginator.html %}
<!-- end index.html body -->{% endraw %}
```

<figure>
  <img src="{{ base_path }}/images/mm-home-post-pagination-example.jpg" alt="home page post pagination example">
  <figcaption>Home page post pagination example.</figcaption>
</figure>

**Note:** For more pagination relation settings check the [**Configuration**]({{ base_path }}/docs/configuration/#paginate) section.
{: .notice--info}

## Splash Page Layout

![splash page layout example]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-layout-splash.png)

---

## Headers

To add some visual punch to a post or page, a large full-width header image can be included.

**Note:** Be sure to resize your header images. `~1280px` is a good medium if you aren't [responsively serving up images](http://alistapart.com/article/responsive-images-in-practice). Through the magic of CSS they will scale up or down to fill the container. If you go with something too small it will look like garbage when upscaled, and something too large will hurt performance.
{: .notice--warning}

![single layout header image example]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-single-header-example.jpg)

Place your images in the `/images/` folder and add the following YAML Front Matter:

```yaml
header:
  image: image-filename.jpg
```

For externally hosted images include the full image path instead of just the filename:

```yaml
header:
  image: http://some-site.com/image.jpg
```

To include a caption or attribution for the image:

```yaml
header:
  image: unsplash-image-1.jpg
  caption: "Photo credit: [**Unsplash**](https://unsplash.com)"
```

**ProTip:** Captions written in Markdown are supported, so feel free to add links, or style text. Just be sure to wrap it in quotes.
{: .notice--info}

### Header Overlay

To overlay text on top of a header image you have a few more options:

* `overlay_image` --- header image you'd like to overlay. Same rules as `header.image` from above.
* `excerpt` --- auto-generated page excerpt is added to the overlay text or can be overridden.
* `cta_label` --- call to action button text label (default is `more_label` in UI Text data file)
* `cta_url` --- call to action button URL

With this YAML Front Matter:

```yaml
excerpt: "This post should display a **header with an overlay image**, if the theme supports it."
header:
  overlay_image: unsplash-image-1.jpg
  caption: "Photo credit: [**Unsplash**](https://unsplash.com)"
  cta_label: "More Info"
  cta_url: "https://unsplash.com"
```

You should get an header image overlaid with text and a call to action button.

![single layout header overlay example]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-single-header-overlay-example.jpg)

You also have the option of specifying a solid background-color to use instead of an image.

![single layout header overlay with background fill]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-single-header-overlay-fill-example.jpg)

```yaml
excerpt: "This post should display a **header with a solid background color**, if the theme supports it."
header:
  overlay_color: "#333"
```

---

## Sidebars

The space to the left of a page's main content is blank by default, but has the option to show an author profile (name, short biography, social media links), custom content, or both.

### Author Profile

Add `author_profile: true` to a post or page's YAML Front Matter.

![single layout example]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-layout-single.png)

Better yet, enable it with Front Matter Defaults set in `_config.yml`.

```yaml
defaults:
  # _posts
  - scope:
      path: ""
      type: posts
    values:
      author_profile: true
```

**Note:** To disable the author sidebar profile for a specific post or page, add `author_profile: false` to the YAML Front Matter instead.
{: .notice--warning}

### Custom Sidebar Content

Blocks of content can be added by using the following under `sidebar`:

* `title` --- title or heading
* `image` --- image path placed in `/images/` folder or an external URL
* `image_alt` --- alt description for image
* `text` --- Markdown supported text

Multiple blocks can also be added by following the example below:

```yaml
sidebar:
  - title: "Title"
    image: http://placehold.it/350x250
    image_alt: "image"
    text: "Some text here."
  - title: "Another Title"
    text: "More text here."
```

<figure>
  <img src="{{ base_path }}/images/mm-custom-sidebar-example.jpg" alt="custom sidebar content example">
  <figcaption>Example of custom sidebar content added as YAML Front Matter.</figcaption>
</figure>

**ProTip:** Custom sidebar content added to a post or page's YAML Front Matter will appear above the author profile if enabled with `author_profile: true`.
{: .notice--info}
Add screenshots of various layouts included with the theme 2016-04-10 04:06:16 +02:00			`---`
			`title: "Layouts"`
			`permalink: /docs/layouts/`
			`excerpt:`
			`sidebar:`
			`title: "v3.0"`
			`nav: docs`
Update layout docs 2016-04-12 18:04:16 +02:00			`single_layout_gallery:`
			`- image_path: mm-layout-single-header.png`
			`alt: "single layout with header example"`
			`- image_path: mm-layout-single-meta.png`
			`alt: "single layout with comments and related posts"`
Add screenshots of various layouts included with the theme 2016-04-10 04:06:16 +02:00			`---`

			`{% include base_path %}`
Update docs 2016-04-11 22:19:43 +02:00			`{% include toc icon="columns" title="Included Layouts" %}`

			`The bread and butter of any theme. Below you'll find the layouts included with Minimal Mistakes, what they look like and the type of content they've been built for.`

Update archive layout docs 2016-04-12 19:09:05 +02:00			`## Default Layout`
Update docs 2016-04-11 22:19:43 +02:00
			The base layout all other layouts inherit from. There's not much to this layout apart from pulling in several `_includes`:

			* `<head>` elements
			`* masthead navigation links`
			* {% raw %}`{{ content }}`{% endraw %}
			`* page footer`
			`* scripts`

			Note: You won't ever assign this layout directly to a post or page. Instead all other layouts will build off of it by setting `layout: default` in their YAML Front Matter.
			`{: .notice--warning}`

Update archive layout docs 2016-04-12 19:09:05 +02:00			`## Compress Layout`
Update docs 2016-04-11 22:19:43 +02:00
			`A Jekyll layout that compresses HTML in pure Liquid.`

			`* [Documentation](http://jch.penibelst.de/)`
Add screenshots of various layouts included with the theme 2016-04-10 04:06:16 +02:00
Update archive layout docs 2016-04-12 19:09:05 +02:00			`## Single Layout`
Add screenshots of various layouts included with the theme 2016-04-10 04:06:16 +02:00
Update archive layout docs 2016-04-12 19:09:05 +02:00			`The layout you'll likely use the most --- sidebar and main content combo with the following optional modules: social sharing links, comments, and related posts.`
Update docs 2016-04-11 22:19:43 +02:00
Update layout docs 2016-04-12 18:04:16 +02:00			{% include gallery id="single_layout_gallery" caption="Image header and meta info examples for `single` layout" %}

Update archive layout docs 2016-04-12 19:09:05 +02:00			Assign with `layout: single`, or better yet apply as a [Front Matter default]({{ base_path }}/docs/configuration/#front-matter-defaults) in `_config.yml`.
Update docs 2016-04-11 22:19:43 +02:00
Update archive layout docs 2016-04-12 19:09:05 +02:00			`## Archive Layout`

			Essentially the same as `single` with markup adjustments and some modules removed.

			`![archive layout example]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-layout-archive.png)`

			Below are sample archive pages you can easily drop into your project, taking care to rename `permalink`, `title`, or the filename to fit your site. Each is 100% compatible with GitHub Pages.

			`* [All Posts Grouped by Category][posts-categories]`
			`* [All Posts Grouped by Tags][posts-tags]`
			`* [All Posts Grouped by Year][posts-year]`
			`* [All Posts Grouped by Collection][posts-collection]`

Add GitHub repo URL 2016-04-12 20:34:36 +02:00			`[posts-categories]: {{ site.gh_repo }}/blob/gh-pages/_pages/category-archive.html`
			`[posts-tags]: {{ site.gh_repo }}/blob/gh-pages/_pages/tag-archive.html`
			`[posts-year]: {{ site.gh_repo }}/blob/gh-pages/_pages/year-archive.html`
			`[posts-collection]: {{ site.gh_repo }}/blob/gh-pages/_pages/collection-archive.html`
Update archive layout docs 2016-04-12 19:09:05 +02:00
			`### Taxonomy Archive`

			If you have the luxury of using Jekyll plugins the creation of category and tag archives is greatly simplified. Enable support for the [`jekyll-archives`](https://github.com/jekyll/jekyll-archives) plugin with a few `_config.yml` settings as noted in the [Configuration]({{ base_path }}/docs/configuration/#archive-settings) section.

			`![archive taxonomy layout example]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-layout-archive-taxonomy.png)`

			`### Home Page`

Add GitHub repo URL 2016-04-12 20:34:36 +02:00			Minimal Mistakes ships with an [`index.html`]({{ site.gh_repo }}/blob/master/index.html) in the root of the project for displaying the 5 most recent posts --- with pagination. It does this by assigning `layout: archive` in the YAML Front Matter and including the following Liquid in the body:
Update archive layout docs 2016-04-12 19:09:05 +02:00
			```html
			`{% raw %}<!-- start index.html body -->`
			`{% include base_path %}`

			`<h3 class="archive__subtitle">Recent Posts</h3>`

			`{% for post in paginator.posts %}`
			`{% include archive-single.html %}`
			`{% endfor %}`

			`{% include paginator.html %}`
			`<!-- end index.html body -->{% endraw %}`
			```

			`<figure>`
			`<img src="{{ base_path }}/images/mm-home-post-pagination-example.jpg" alt="home page post pagination example">`
			`<figcaption>Home page post pagination example.</figcaption>`
			`</figure>`

			`Note: For more pagination relation settings check the [Configuration]({{ base_path }}/docs/configuration/#paginate) section.`
			`{: .notice--info}`

			`## Splash Page Layout`

			`![splash page layout example]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-layout-splash.png)`

			`---`

			`## Headers`
Update docs 2016-04-11 22:19:43 +02:00
			`To add some visual punch to a post or page, a large full-width header image can be included.`

			Note: Be sure to resize your header images. `~1280px` is a good medium if you aren't [responsively serving up images](http://alistapart.com/article/responsive-images-in-practice). Through the magic of CSS they will scale up or down to fill the container. If you go with something too small it will look like garbage when upscaled, and something too large will hurt performance.
			`{: .notice--warning}`

			`![single layout header image example]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-single-header-example.jpg)`

			Place your images in the `/images/` folder and add the following YAML Front Matter:

			```yaml
			`header:`
			`image: image-filename.jpg`
			```

			`For externally hosted images include the full image path instead of just the filename:`

			```yaml
			`header:`
			`image: http://some-site.com/image.jpg`
			```

			`To include a caption or attribution for the image:`

			```yaml
			`header:`
			`image: unsplash-image-1.jpg`
			`caption: "Photo credit: [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com)"`
			```

			`ProTip: Captions written in Markdown are supported, so feel free to add links, or style text. Just be sure to wrap it in quotes.`
			`{: .notice--info}`

			`### Header Overlay`

			`To overlay text on top of a header image you have a few more options:`

			* `overlay_image` --- header image you'd like to overlay. Same rules as `header.image` from above.
			* `excerpt` --- auto-generated page excerpt is added to the overlay text or can be overridden.
			* `cta_label` --- call to action button text label (default is `more_label` in UI Text data file)
			* `cta_url` --- call to action button URL

			`With this YAML Front Matter:`

			```yaml
			`excerpt: "This post should display a header with an overlay image, if the theme supports it."`
			`header:`
			`overlay_image: unsplash-image-1.jpg`
			`caption: "Photo credit: [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com)"`
			`cta_label: "More Info"`
			`cta_url: "https://unsplash.com"`
			```

			`You should get an header image overlaid with text and a call to action button.`

			`![single layout header overlay example]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-single-header-overlay-example.jpg)`

			`You also have the option of specifying a solid background-color to use instead of an image.`

			`![single layout header overlay with background fill]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-single-header-overlay-fill-example.jpg)`

			```yaml
			`excerpt: "This post should display a header with a solid background color, if the theme supports it."`
			`header:`
			`overlay_color: "#333"`
			```

Update archive layout docs 2016-04-12 19:09:05 +02:00			`---`

			`## Sidebars`
Update layout docs 2016-04-12 18:04:16 +02:00
			`The space to the left of a page's main content is blank by default, but has the option to show an author profile (name, short biography, social media links), custom content, or both.`

Update archive layout docs 2016-04-12 19:09:05 +02:00			`### Author Profile`
Update layout docs 2016-04-12 18:04:16 +02:00
			Add `author_profile: true` to a post or page's YAML Front Matter.
Update docs 2016-04-11 22:19:43 +02:00
Add screenshots of various layouts included with the theme 2016-04-10 04:06:16 +02:00			`![single layout example]({{ base_path }}/images/mm-layout-single.png)`

Update layout docs 2016-04-12 18:04:16 +02:00			Better yet, enable it with Front Matter Defaults set in `_config.yml`.

			```yaml
			`defaults:`
			`# _posts`
			`- scope:`
			`path: ""`
			`type: posts`
			`values:`
			`author_profile: true`
			```

			Note: To disable the author sidebar profile for a specific post or page, add `author_profile: false` to the YAML Front Matter instead.
			`{: .notice--warning}`

Update archive layout docs 2016-04-12 19:09:05 +02:00			`### Custom Sidebar Content`
Add screenshots of various layouts included with the theme 2016-04-10 04:06:16 +02:00
Update layout docs 2016-04-12 18:04:16 +02:00			Blocks of content can be added by using the following under `sidebar`:

			* `title` --- title or heading
			* `image` --- image path placed in `/images/` folder or an external URL
			* `image_alt` --- alt description for image
			* `text` --- Markdown supported text

			`Multiple blocks can also be added by following the example below:`

			```yaml
			`sidebar:`
			`- title: "Title"`
			`image: http://placehold.it/350x250`
			`image_alt: "image"`
			`text: "Some text here."`
			`- title: "Another Title"`
			`text: "More text here."`
			```

			`<figure>`
			`<img src="{{ base_path }}/images/mm-custom-sidebar-example.jpg" alt="custom sidebar content example">`
			`<figcaption>Example of custom sidebar content added as YAML Front Matter.</figcaption>`
			`</figure>`

			ProTip: Custom sidebar content added to a post or page's YAML Front Matter will appear above the author profile if enabled with `author_profile: true`.
Update archive layout docs 2016-04-12 19:09:05 +02:00			`{: .notice--info}`