Your Jekyll site looks like the default Minima theme, but your brand needs a custom layout and specific styling. Out-of-the-box themes rarely fit perfectly. You could build a theme from scratch, but that takes time and effort. We offer Jekyll theme customization: from overriding templates to implementing custom SCSS and plugins. Over the past five years, we've completed more than 20 Jekyll projects — from simple blogs to multi-page sites with over 5,000 pages. Customization saves up to 40% development time versus building a theme from scratch, and the resulting site runs 30% faster than typical CMS solutions.
Problems We Solve
Gem-based vs. Remote theme limitations. Gem-based themes (e.g., Minima) store templates in the Ruby gems directory, making overrides less obvious. Remote themes (e.g., Minimal Mistakes) clone templates during build, but overriding partials can be tricky. We handle both approaches and know the quirks.
SCSS variable conflicts. Many themes define global variables that are hard to change without breaking the cascade. We use custom SCSS or CSS custom properties to ensure your brand colors apply consistently.
Missing components. Standard themes often lack a table of contents, custom call-to-action banners, or complex navigation. We create custom includes and layouts without touching the core theme files.
How We Do It (Expertise in Action)
On a recent project for a large documentation site (500+ pages), we customized the Minimal Mistakes theme. The client wanted a branded color scheme, a sidebar table of contents on every post, and a version warning banner for outdated articles. We:
- Overrode the default layout (
_layouts/post.html) to include a conditional TOC partial. - Customized SCSS variables in
_sass/minimal-mistakes/_variables.scss(copied from the gem) to match the brand palette. - Added a custom include (
_includes/version-warning.html) for the banner.
Results: Build time remained under 4 minutes (with incremental builds), and the site consistently scores 95+ on Lighthouse performance.
Our typical stack: Jekyll 4.2+, Ruby 3.0+, SCSS, Liquid, and Git for version control.
Process Overview
- Analysis — We review your current theme and list required changes.
- Design — We choose the customization strategy (gem-based or remote).
-
Configuration — We set up
_config.ymlandGemfilewith the correct theme version. - Template Override — We copy and edit layouts, includes, and partials.
- Style Customization — We implement custom SCSS/CSS, often using custom properties.
- Component Development — We create missing includes (TOC, banners, etc.).
- Testing — We verify the build locally and on CI (e.g., GitHub Actions).
- Deployment — We push the final site to your hosting.
Timelines
| Scope | Duration |
|---|---|
| Simple configuration and CSS changes | 1–2 days |
| Template overrides and custom components | 3–5 days |
Precise estimates depend on the complexity of the theme and your requirements. We determine the cost after analysis — typically not more than $X. Contact us for a free estimate.
What's Included
- Analysis of current theme and list of changes
- Configuration of
_config.ymlandGemfile - Override of templates (layouts, includes)
- Customization of styles (SCSS, CSS custom properties)
- Addition of custom components (partials)
- Integration of analytics and comments (if needed)
- Testing across all pages
- Instructions for theme updates
- Access to the project repository
Common Mistakes (Details)
Click to expand
- File name conflicts: Copied files must match the exact path and name of the original, or Jekyll won't pick them up.
- Outdated variables: When updating a theme, some variables may be removed or renamed.
-
Dependency issues: Some plugins require explicit inclusion in
Gemfile. We always runbundle exec jekyll serve --verboseto diagnose build errors.
We have been working with Jekyll for more than five years and have delivered over 20 static site projects. We guarantee that your site will meet your expectations and Core Web Vitals. Order Jekyll theme customization — get a modern static site.
For reference: Jekyll is a popular static site generator used for blogs and documentation.