hugo/docs/content/templates/overview.md

---
aliases:
- /doc/templates/
- /layout/templates/
- /layout/overview/
lastmod: 2015-05-22
date: 2013-07-01
linktitle: Overview
menu:
  main:
    parent: layout
next: /templates/go-templates
prev: /themes/creation
title: Hugo Templates
weight: 10
toc: true
---

Hugo uses the excellent Go html/template library for its template engine.
It is an extremely lightweight engine that provides a very small amount of
logic. In our experience it is just the right amount of logic to be able
to create a good static website.

While Hugo has a number of different template roles, most complete
websites can be built using just a small number of template files.
Please don’t be afraid of the variety of different template roles. They
enable Hugo to build very complicated sites. Most sites will only
need to create a [/layouts/\_default/single.html](/templates/content/) & [/layouts/\_default/list.html](/templates/list/)

If you are new to Go's templates, the [Go Template Primer](/layout/go-templates/)
is a great place to start.

If you are familiar with Go’s templates, Hugo provides some [additional
template functions](/templates/functions/) and [variables](/templates/variables/) you will want to be familiar
with.

## Primary Template roles

There are 3 primary kinds of templates that Hugo works with.

### [Single](/templates/content/)
Render a single piece of content

### [List](/templates/list/)
Page that list multiple pieces of content

### [Homepage](/templates/homepage/)
The homepage of your site

## Supporting Template Roles (optional)

Hugo also has additional kinds of templates all of which are optional

### [Partial Templates](/templates/partials/)
Common page parts to be included in the above mentioned templates

### [Content Views](/templates/views/)
Different ways of rendering a (single) content type

### [Taxonomy Terms](/templates/terms/)
A list of the terms used for a specific taxonomy, e.g. a Tag cloud

## Other Templates (generally unnecessary)

### [RSS](/templates/rss/)
Used to render all rss documents

### [Sitemap](/templates/sitemap/)
Used to render the XML sitemap

### [404](/templates/404/)
This template will create a 404.html page used when hosting on GitHub Pages

### [Alias](/extras/aliases/#customizing)
This template will override the default page used to create aliases of pages.
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
+								---
-												Converting front matter to YAML

											
										
										
											2014-05-29 18:42:05 -04:00
+								aliases:
 								- /doc/templates/
 								- /layout/templates/
-												fixed #389 . Added alias for missing page.

											
										
										
											2014-08-26 13:16:45 -04:00
+								- /layout/overview/
-												docs: Add lastmod to content files

Based on last commit in Git.

											
										
										
											2016-01-06 17:45:19 -05:00
+								lastmod: 2015-05-22
-												Converting front matter to YAML

											
										
										
											2014-05-29 18:42:05 -04:00
+								date: 2013-07-01
 								linktitle: Overview
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
+								menu:
 								  main:
-												Converting front matter to YAML

											
										
										
											2014-05-29 18:42:05 -04:00
+								    parent: layout
 								next: /templates/go-templates
 								prev: /themes/creation
 								title: Hugo Templates
 								weight: 10
-												docs: add ToC to some more pages

											
										
										
											2015-05-22 14:46:09 -04:00
+								toc: true
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
+								---
-												Minor proofreading corrections to Hugo docs

											
										
										
											2014-08-31 07:08:36 -04:00
+								Hugo uses the excellent Go html/template library for its template engine.
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
+								It is an extremely lightweight engine that provides a very small amount of
-												Minor proofreading corrections to Hugo docs

											
										
										
											2014-08-31 07:08:36 -04:00
+								logic. In our experience it is just the right amount of logic to be able
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
+								to create a good static website.
 								While Hugo has a number of different template roles, most complete
 								websites can be built using just a small number of template files.
 								Please don’t be afraid of the variety of different template roles. They
-												Minor proofreading corrections to Hugo docs

											
										
										
											2014-08-31 07:08:36 -04:00
+								enable Hugo to build very complicated sites. Most sites will only
-												[Docs] Copyediting

 * Add meta author, description and generator tags
 * Add Hugo version beside the logo and in the footer
 * Suggest the user to run `go get -u -v` to update dependencies
 * Requires Go 1.3+ rather than Go 1.1+
 * Improve rendering/formatting in some places
 * Add trailing slash to URLs where appropriate
 * GitHub redirects all http requests to https, update accordingly

											
										
										
											2015-01-27 21:17:09 -05:00
+								need to create a [/layouts/\_default/single.html](/templates/content/) & [/layouts/\_default/list.html](/templates/list/)
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
-												[Docs] Copyediting

 * Add meta author, description and generator tags
 * Add Hugo version beside the logo and in the footer
 * Suggest the user to run `go get -u -v` to update dependencies
 * Requires Go 1.3+ rather than Go 1.1+
 * Improve rendering/formatting in some places
 * Add trailing slash to URLs where appropriate
 * GitHub redirects all http requests to https, update accordingly

											
										
										
											2015-01-27 21:17:09 -05:00
+								If you are new to Go's templates, the [Go Template Primer](/layout/go-templates/)
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
+								is a great place to start.
-												Minor proofreading corrections to Hugo docs

											
										
										
											2014-08-31 07:08:36 -04:00
+								If you are familiar with Go’s templates, Hugo provides some [additional
-												[Docs] Copyediting

 * Add meta author, description and generator tags
 * Add Hugo version beside the logo and in the footer
 * Suggest the user to run `go get -u -v` to update dependencies
 * Requires Go 1.3+ rather than Go 1.1+
 * Improve rendering/formatting in some places
 * Add trailing slash to URLs where appropriate
 * GitHub redirects all http requests to https, update accordingly

											
										
										
											2015-01-27 21:17:09 -05:00
+								template functions](/templates/functions/) and [variables](/templates/variables/) you will want to be familiar
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
+								with.
 								## Primary Template roles
 								There are 3 primary kinds of templates that Hugo works with.
-												[Docs] Copyediting

 * Add meta author, description and generator tags
 * Add Hugo version beside the logo and in the footer
 * Suggest the user to run `go get -u -v` to update dependencies
 * Requires Go 1.3+ rather than Go 1.1+
 * Improve rendering/formatting in some places
 * Add trailing slash to URLs where appropriate
 * GitHub redirects all http requests to https, update accordingly

											
										
										
											2015-01-27 21:17:09 -05:00
+								### [Single](/templates/content/)
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
+								Render a single piece of content
-												[Docs] Copyediting

 * Add meta author, description and generator tags
 * Add Hugo version beside the logo and in the footer
 * Suggest the user to run `go get -u -v` to update dependencies
 * Requires Go 1.3+ rather than Go 1.1+
 * Improve rendering/formatting in some places
 * Add trailing slash to URLs where appropriate
 * GitHub redirects all http requests to https, update accordingly

											
										
										
											2015-01-27 21:17:09 -05:00
+								### [List](/templates/list/)
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
+								Page that list multiple pieces of content
 								### [Homepage](/templates/homepage/)
 								The homepage of your site
 								## Supporting Template Roles (optional)
 								Hugo also has additional kinds of templates all of which are optional
-												[Docs] Copyediting

 * Add meta author, description and generator tags
 * Add Hugo version beside the logo and in the footer
 * Suggest the user to run `go get -u -v` to update dependencies
 * Requires Go 1.3+ rather than Go 1.1+
 * Improve rendering/formatting in some places
 * Add trailing slash to URLs where appropriate
 * GitHub redirects all http requests to https, update accordingly

											
										
										
											2015-01-27 21:17:09 -05:00
+								### [Partial Templates](/templates/partials/)
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
+								Common page parts to be included in the above mentioned templates
-												[Docs] Copyediting

 * Add meta author, description and generator tags
 * Add Hugo version beside the logo and in the footer
 * Suggest the user to run `go get -u -v` to update dependencies
 * Requires Go 1.3+ rather than Go 1.1+
 * Improve rendering/formatting in some places
 * Add trailing slash to URLs where appropriate
 * GitHub redirects all http requests to https, update accordingly

											
										
										
											2015-01-27 21:17:09 -05:00
+								### [Content Views](/templates/views/)
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
+								Different ways of rendering a (single) content type
-												[Docs] Copyediting

 * Add meta author, description and generator tags
 * Add Hugo version beside the logo and in the footer
 * Suggest the user to run `go get -u -v` to update dependencies
 * Requires Go 1.3+ rather than Go 1.1+
 * Improve rendering/formatting in some places
 * Add trailing slash to URLs where appropriate
 * GitHub redirects all http requests to https, update accordingly

											
										
										
											2015-01-27 21:17:09 -05:00
+								### [Taxonomy Terms](/templates/terms/)
-												Minor proofreading corrections to Hugo docs

											
										
										
											2014-08-31 07:08:36 -04:00
+								A list of the terms used for a specific taxonomy, e.g. a Tag cloud
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
-												Fix minor typo in file docs/content/templates/overview.md

											
										
										
											2014-06-20 18:10:15 -04:00
+								## Other Templates (generally unnecessary)
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
 								### [RSS](/templates/rss/)
 								Used to render all rss documents
 								### [Sitemap](/templates/sitemap/)
 								Used to render the XML sitemap
-												[Docs] Copyediting

 * Add meta author, description and generator tags
 * Add Hugo version beside the logo and in the footer
 * Suggest the user to run `go get -u -v` to update dependencies
 * Requires Go 1.3+ rather than Go 1.1+
 * Improve rendering/formatting in some places
 * Add trailing slash to URLs where appropriate
 * GitHub redirects all http requests to https, update accordingly

											
										
										
											2015-01-27 21:17:09 -05:00
+								### [404](/templates/404/)
-												Minor proofreading corrections to Hugo docs

											
										
										
											2014-08-31 07:08:36 -04:00
+								This template will create a 404.html page used when hosting on GitHub Pages
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00
-												Implement support for alias templates

This change adds a canonical alias.html template that is used for page
redirects, and passes the page as data to the template under .Page

Fixes #2533
Closes #2576

											
										
										
											2016-10-15 07:35:32 -04:00
+								### [Alias](/extras/aliases/#customizing)
 								This template will override the default page used to create aliases of pages.
-												Updating / Rewriting / Adding all of the documentation in preparation for the next release

											
										
										
											2014-05-27 18:32:57 -04:00