About This Website

This website was developed using a template provided by the Allan Lab and is powered by Jekyll, with design elements from Bootstrap and Bootswatch. The goal is to offer a straightforward and flexible template for academic research groups to present their work and manage updates easily.

Getting Started

The website structure is designed for easy editing and updates:

  • Markdown Pages: Content pages use Markdown for simple formatting.
  • Data-Driven Sections: Information such as publications, news, and team members is stored in .yml data sheets in the _data folder, making it easy to update without editing individual HTML files.
  • Jekyll Processing: Jekyll takes all markdown and data files and generates HTML files in the _site folder for publishing.

If you’re new to Jekyll, we recommend reviewing the Wikipedia article or Jekyll’s official website for an introduction.

Forking and Publishing on GitHub

To use this template, create a GitHub account and follow these steps:

  1. Fork the Repository: Visit the Allan Lab GitHub repository, then click “Fork” to create a copy.
  2. Rename the Repository: Change the repository name to "your_username.github.io".
  3. Publish: After renaming, GitHub automatically publishes your website at https://your_username.github.io/.
  4. Edit Directly on GitHub: You can edit files directly on GitHub or install Jekyll locally to make and preview changes on your computer.

For local editing, refer to these setup instructions and tutorials.

Customizing Your Website

Make the website your own by following these customization steps:

  1. Update Data Files:
    • Go to the _data folder and edit news.yml, publist.yml, and team.yml to add your own information.
    • Formatting Tip: Jekyll requires strict YAML formatting, so avoid extra spaces or tabs.
  2. Modify Pages:
    • Edit content files in the _pages folder. The homepage can be customized in homelay.html within _layouts.
  3. Styling:
    • Minor style changes can be made in main.sass (within CSS), or you can adjust the Bootstrap theme in _variables.sass.
    • You may also replace the theme with your own CSS in the _sass directory.

Feel free to use and adapt this template as needed. Credit to the Allan Lab for creating the original version of this website template. If you’d like, share your modified website with us, and we may include it in a showcase.

Comments and suggestions are always welcome!