When working with Jekyll, especially for projects hosted on GitHub Pages, organizing your repository correctly can save countless hours in maintenance, scaling, and onboarding new collaborators. An unclear structure leads to confusion, accidental overwrites, duplicated code, and poor site performance.
A clean structure ensures your layouts, includes, assets, and content are separated logically. It also allows Jekyll to build your site efficiently and helps GitHub Pages understand which parts to serve and which to ignore.
What does a typical messy Jekyll repo look like?
Beginners often drop everything—HTML files, images, config files, CSS—into the root directory. There's no clear separation between layout templates and post content. Assets are scattered, plugins are embedded inconsistently, and many unnecessary files are tracked in Git. This becomes unmanageable quickly, especially when collaborating or deploying across environments.
What is an ideal folder structure for a scalable Jekyll site?
An ideal Jekyll structure is both conventional and modular. Here’s a simplified version that balances clarity and scalability:
/
├── _config.yml
├── _data/
├── _includes/
├── _layouts/
├── _posts/
├── _sass/
├── _site/ (ignored)
├── assets/
│ ├── css/
│ ├── js/
│ └── images/
├── pages/
│ ├── about.md
│ └── contact.md
├── index.md
└── README.md
Each of these directories plays a role. The _posts folder holds your blog posts, _includes allows reusable HTML snippets, _layouts defines templates, and _data holds structured YAML or JSON data used throughout the site. assets separates your visual and interactive elements from content.
Should I use a separate folder for pages instead of keeping them in root?
Yes, definitely. Keeping pages like about.md or contact.md in a dedicated /pages folder simplifies navigation, supports routing logic, and reduces root-level clutter. This also scales better if you decide to localize your site or introduce multiple sections like docs or projects.
How do I structure layouts and includes to be modular?
Use layout inheritance and partials. A base layout (e.g., default.html) should contain the core HTML structure. Other layouts can extend it, such as post.html or page.html. For repeated components like navigation, footer, or meta tags, move them to _includes and load them using {% raw %}{% include filename.html %}{% endraw %}.
Example layout inheritance
_layouts/
├── default.html
├── post.html
└── page.html
This separation ensures consistency across the site while allowing each type of page to maintain custom logic or design when necessary.
How do I manage assets without clutter?
Organize your CSS, JS, and images inside an assets directory. Within that, break it down by type:
assets/
├── css/
├── js/
└── images/
This convention keeps your main repository root clean and helps Jekyll serve your static files predictably. You can also take it further by organizing assets per feature or section (e.g., assets/about/images/), especially for large websites.
Where should I put documentation or setup instructions?
Place your documentation inside a clearly defined file such as README.md in the root directory. For more complex sites, you might want to create a /docs folder or even use a separate Jekyll instance for full documentation. Keeping install or deployment instructions visible helps contributors and your future self.
Is it a good practice to use collections?
Yes. Jekyll collections allow you to group content beyond just blog posts. For example, if you have a portfolio section, FAQ entries, or product descriptions, define them in _config.yml and place them in their own folders:
collections:
portfolio:
output: true
Then, create a folder named _portfolio and store related markdown or HTML files inside. This method improves content organization and enables you to loop through collection items like you would with posts.
How do I avoid pushing unnecessary files to GitHub?
Use a .gitignore file to exclude generated or local-only directories like _site, .sass-cache, .jekyll-cache, or build tools like node_modules. This keeps your repository clean and avoids bloating it with build artifacts.
_site/
.sass-cache/
.jekyll-cache/
node_modules/
What if my site is multilingual? How do I organize languages?
Use a structure based on language folders under pages/ or set up a data-driven solution using _data/translations.yml. For file-based approaches:
pages/
├── en/
│ └── about.md
├── id/
│ └── about.md
Jekyll can route URLs accordingly if configured properly. This approach scales better than cramming all languages into a single template.
Can I automate repo structure setup for new projects?
Yes. Use a GitHub template repository with your preferred folder structure. That way, when creating a new site, you can just click “Use this template” and start with a pre-organized, clean base. This promotes consistency across your projects and reduces setup time.
How do I keep the structure scalable as my site grows?
Follow these tips:
- Separate content types using collections.
- Organize includes and layouts logically—avoid nesting too deeply.
- Use partials for repeated UI components.
- Group assets by purpose or page section.
- Document your folder usage in README.
What’s a real-world example of a scalable Jekyll repo structure?
Many open-source Jekyll themes like Minimal Mistakes use best practices in structuring their repositories. You’ll find modular layouts, clear separation of concerns, and excellent usage of collections and data files.
Explore and learn from these repositories. Fork them, dissect how folders are used, and adapt the structure to your project’s needs.
How do I handle future-proofing my repo structure?
Anticipate change. Start modular, even if your site is small. Group related functionality, avoid tight coupling between layout and content, and use configuration files wisely. As your site grows, your structure should adapt without requiring a full rewrite.
Conclusion: What's the best way to keep Jekyll repositories clean and scalable?
Start with a strong foundation. Use Jekyll's built-in conventions but adapt them to your content model. Organize by responsibility—layouts, includes, posts, pages, and assets each have their place. Avoid hardcoding. Use includes and data files for reusability. Document everything. And above all, think of your repo not just as code, but as a product—one that deserves clarity, maintenance, and scalability.
A well-structured Jekyll repo makes your life easier now and in the future. Whether you're building a blog, portfolio, documentation site, or business landing page, structure is the backbone that keeps your project alive and thriving.
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