How to use the command "jekyll" (with examples)

Jekyll is a simple, blog-aware, static site generator that allows users to easily create and maintain static websites. With Jekyll, users can generate a development server, enable incremental regeneration, enable verbose output, build their site, and clean the site without building.

Generate a development server that will run at http://localhost:4000/

Code:

jekyll serve

Motivation: The “jekyll serve” command is used to generate a development server for the Jekyll site. This command starts a local server that allows users to view their site locally at http://localhost:4000/. This is useful for previewing and testing the site before deploying it.

Explanation: The “serve” argument tells Jekyll to start a local server. By default, Jekyll serves the site on port 4000, but this can be changed by specifying a different port using the “–port” option.

Example output: After running the command, Jekyll will generate the site and start the development server. The output will display information about the server, such as the address and port it is running on.

Enable incremental regeneration

Code:

jekyll serve --incremental

Motivation: Enabling incremental regeneration can greatly improve the build time for larger sites. Instead of regenerating the entire site every time a change is made, Jekyll only rebuilds the modified files. This can save a significant amount of time when working on larger projects with many files.

Explanation: The “–incremental” option tells Jekyll to only regenerate modified files. When this option is enabled, Jekyll compares the timestamps of the source files with the generated files and only rebuilds the ones that have been modified.

Example output: After enabling incremental regeneration, Jekyll will only rebuild the modified files when changes are made to the source files. The output will display the files that are being regenerated.

Enable verbose output

Code:

jekyll serve --verbose

Motivation: Enabling verbose output can be helpful for debugging purposes. When verbose output is enabled, Jekyll provides more detailed information about the build process, including information about which files are being processed and any errors or warnings that occur.

Explanation: The “–verbose” option tells Jekyll to display extra information during the build process. This information can be useful for troubleshooting issues or understanding the steps that Jekyll is taking to generate the site.

Example output: After enabling verbose output, Jekyll will display additional information about the build process. This may include details about each file being processed, any error messages or warnings, and information about the plugins being used.

Generate the current directory into ./_site

Code:

jekyll build

Motivation: The “jekyll build” command is used to generate the site into the “_site” directory. This is useful for creating a production-ready version of the site that can be deployed to a server or hosting platform.

Explanation: The “build” argument tells Jekyll to generate the site. By default, Jekyll generates the site into a directory called “_site” in the current working directory. This can be customized by specifying a different destination using the “–destination” option.

Example output: After running the command, Jekyll will generate the site and place the generated files into the “_site” directory. The output will display information about the build process, including the files that were generated.

Clean the site (removes site output and cache directory) without building

Code:

jekyll clean

Motivation: The “jekyll clean” command is used to remove the generated site output and the “cache” directory without rebuilding the site. This can be useful when starting a fresh build or when cleaning up unused files.

Explanation: The “clean” argument tells Jekyll to delete the generated site output and the “cache” directory. This removes all the files that were generated by a previous build, allowing for a clean slate for the next build.

Example output: After running the command, Jekyll will delete the “_site” directory and the “cache” directory. The output will display information about the cleanup process, including the directories that were removed.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the “jekyll” command provides various options for generating and managing Jekyll sites. By understanding how to use these options, users can customize their build process and optimize their workflow. Whether it’s starting a development server, enabling incremental regeneration, or cleaning up the site, Jekyll offers the flexibility to meet different needs.