Jekyll is a popular static site generator that allows developers to create fast and customizable websites. One of its powerful features is collections, which helps organize project showcases and other content types efficiently. In this article, we'll explore how to use Jekyll collections to keep your project showcases well-structured and easy to manage.

What Are Jekyll Collections?

Collections in Jekyll are custom groups of content separate from your standard posts and pages. They enable you to organize related content, such as portfolio projects, tutorials, or case studies, into dedicated sections. Collections are stored in a specific folder within your Jekyll site and are processed independently during site build.

Setting Up a Collection for Projects

To create a collection, add a collections entry in your _config.yml file. For example:

_config.yml

collections:

projects:

And create a folder named _projects in your site root. Each file inside this folder represents a project.

Adding Projects to Your Collection

Each project is a Markdown file with front matter that defines its metadata. For example, _projects/project1.md might look like:

---

title: Awesome Website

date: 2024-04-27

tags: [web, design]

summary: A showcase of an innovative website design.

---

Below the front matter, include the content or leave it empty for just metadata.

Displaying Projects on Your Site

To display your projects, create a page or post and use a loop to iterate through the collection. For example, in your index.html or a dedicated page:

```liquid

{% for project in site.projects %}

<h3>{{ project.title }}</h3>

<p>{{ project.summary }}</p>

<a href="{{ project.url }}">Read more</a>

{% endfor %}

```

Benefits of Using Collections

  • Organized content management
  • Easy to add, update, or remove projects
  • Clear separation of different content types
  • Enhanced site structure and navigation

By leveraging Jekyll collections, you can create a professional and maintainable project showcase section that is easy to update and expand over time. This approach helps keep your site organized and accessible to visitors.