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A template is the HTML wrapper around rendered content. A theme combines
that wrapper with local CSS. The default layout keeps templates in
bones/templates/ and CSS in home/assets/css/.
Select a template
bash rotkeeper.sh new --list
bash rotkeeper.sh new themed-page.md --template theme-spooky-light.html --title "Themed page"
For an existing source, edit its frontmatter:
template: theme-spooky-light.html
For a site-wide choice, set theme_registry.default in
bones/config/rotkeeper.yaml. It takes precedence over the older
default_template key. Per-page frontmatter takes precedence over both.
Keep each registered template available in the active template directory.
Compare the choices
| Group | Templates | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal-oriented | theme-phosphor.html, theme-brutal.html |
Monospace presentation |
| General-purpose | theme-spooky-dark.html, theme-dark.html, theme-light.html, theme-kawaii.html, theme-flash.html, theme-pride.html |
Content and documentation |
| Reading-oriented | theme-spooky-light.html, theme-overgrown.html, theme-textpattern.html |
Longer prose |
| XHTML variant | theme-spooky-dark-xhtml.html |
Pages using the XHTML output profile |
| 404 treatment | theme-necropolis.html |
The page_type: 404 presentation |
| Prototypes | theme-daisy.html, theme-daisy-vanilla.html |
Vendored DaisyUI and a plain-CSS counterpart |
The DaisyUI theme uses locally vendored CSS, not a CDN or a Node build. The DaisyUI comparison explains its prototype status. The XHTML wrapper must be paired with the XHTML profile.
Choose a palette
Templates using $palette$ can expose palette variants. Set palette
in a source's frontmatter; new does not have a --palette flag.
template: theme-brutal.html
palette: unix
Brutal provides mac, unix, and pwsh; Flash provides nova, aurora,
and hyper; Pride provides trans, bi, and sunset. Omit palette
for the default. Other templates need not implement palette variants.
Generate previews and check
bash rotkeeper.sh showcase
bash rotkeeper.sh render
bash rotkeeper.sh links
bash rotkeeper.sh a11y
Browse the showcase to compare the same evaluation content across templates. The static accessibility audit checks theme contrast, keyboard focus styling, and wide-content overflow. Its hard contrast pairs require 4.5:1; secondary pairs have a 3:1 floor and warn below 4.5:1. Test your own content and keyboard interaction in a browser too.
To add or change a theme, follow Create a theme.
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