GitHub Pages Hacks

Enhance or update your GitHub Pages using your new knowledge from Previous Hacks.

  • Alter index.md with images and links according to some of your personal interests or projects.
  • Make your index.md contain a guide that points to several Notebooks.
  • Make one of the Notebooks a planning document on what you attempted to do versus what you accomplished.
  • Make one of the Notebooks run a JavaScript cell.
  • Make one of the Notebooks an About Page.

Create your own navigation style. Bonus: Let users pick their preferred navigation style using a toggle or menu.

  • Use Mermaid diagrams, HTML tables, or Markdown lists to organize and link your project’s key pages (such as Notebooks, About, and Blog).
  • Compare at least two navigation styles in your project.
  • Ask peers for feedback on which style is most user-friendly.

Jekyll Hack

Use layout to enhance your navigation style.

  • Alter the appearance of the blogs: Modify the layout, style, or content of your blog posts to reflect your personal taste.
  • Info Graphic: Use an infographic approach like tools to build your series of lessons.

Understanding _config.yml

The _config.yml file is the heart of your GitHub Pages site configuration. It controls site-wide settings such as the title, description, theme, navigation, and more.

Explore and Try:

  • Open your project’s _config.yml file.
  • Find and edit the following settings:
    • title: The name of your site (appears in the browser tab and header).
    • description: A short summary of your site’s purpose.
    • theme: The Jekyll theme your site uses.
    • url and baseurl: Used for correct link generation.
  • Add a new custom variable (for example, author: Your Name) and display it in your layout or a page using ``.

Challenge:

  • Change the site title and description, then run your site locally to see the changes.
  • Try adding a new navigation link or menu item by editing _config.yml.
  • Research other options you can set in _config.yml to customize your site.

Understanding and customizing _config.yml is key to making your GitHub Pages site truly your own!

Utterances Hacks

  • Set up your blogs for direct feedback using Utterances.
  • Get two other people to mutually share work.
  • Each should evaluate how many things were accomplished versus what was asked.