I was first introduced to the Jekyll blogging platform during my stay in Chicago as I was attending a coding bootcamp named Anyone Can Learn To Code (ACLTC). During this time I learned multiple things about Web Development and the Tech industry; one being that its crucial to create and maintain a blog mainly for the tech savvy. We were introduced to many blogging platforms, from Wordpress, LiveJournal, and even Quroa. However I found Jekyll to be more pliable to my needs as a Developer. Well, there were two main needs in particular; one was the ability to work and develop a programmable blog, and because it is a blog, being able to write out my knowledge on any subject was also crucial (in this case programming).

Programming, though an essential part of Web Development, doesn’t encompass everything that actually goes on behind the scenes. However, keep in mind that programming and Jekyll work hand in hand. Jekyll allows you to develop and experiment with development (coding) and layouts at almost any level of experience. It particularly helps out more in the Front-end Development aspect of programming, since its a static site generator and doesn’t deal with databases, allowing you a wide range of creativity with your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code. You can see this code in action while you run your site, with a simple terminal command:

“Jekyll server” or
"Jekyll server —watch”(this will automatically update any changes made in your code and apply them to your site).

It also works well with Github (a popular Version Control System or VCS) making it easier to edit your work and save it to see the changes in a remote or local repository whenever you please. Once you actually have your code “done” (even though most programmers are never really done, we just keep on developing) and styling to your liking, now you can let the writing begin. You can use your blog however you see fit to express your thoughts, in this case talking about your experiences and knowledge of programming is key. This can be very essential to a potential job search/interview because you will have actual writing prove that you know what you doing or have created in your career.

I highly recommend this blogging platform if you are new to programming, more specifically Front-end Development, to develop or improve on both your coding and/or blogging. If you are interested in learning more or need help with Jekyll here are some awesome resources that will help and hopefully will provide the same aid for you as it did for me:

Jekyll Platform

SmashingMagazine

Youtube: Intro to Jekyll

If you want more resources or have any questions/concerns feel free to drop me a message!