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SkullX Theme v0.0.4 - Polish Pass Release

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@runawaydevil runawaydevil released this 31 Dec 09:22
· 1 commit to main since this release
v0.0.4
c9bf832

🎨 Major Design System Overhaul

This release represents a complete "Polish Pass" transformation of the SkullX theme, implementing a unified design system with consistent layout, typography, and visual elements across all page types.

✨ New Features

Unified Layout System

  • Single Layout Shell: Implemented unified container and grid system in default.hbs
  • Responsive Design: Two-column grid (desktop >980px) / Single column (mobile ≤980px)
  • Clean Member Pages: Preserved sidebar-free layout for signin, signup, and account pages

Enhanced Home Page

  • Featured Post Hero: Prominent hero section for the first featured post
  • Smart Feed Logic: Hero post automatically excluded from main feed to prevent duplication
  • Full-Width Cards: Removed artificial width constraints for better content utilization

Consistent Card Design System

  • Unified Styling: Consistent background, borders, radius, padding, and shadows
  • Typography Hierarchy: Card titles at 22-26px with proper line heights
  • Line-Clamp Excerpts: 2-3 line excerpt truncation with fallback support
  • Responsive Layout: Horizontal layout (desktop) / Vertical layout (mobile)

Optimized Editorial Content

  • Optimal Reading Width: Content limited to 70 characters for better readability
  • Koenig Card Support: Standardized margins and sizing for all Ghost content blocks
  • Wide/Full-Width Content: Proper handling of .kg-width-wide and .kg-width-full elements
  • Vertical Rhythm: Consistent spacing between all content elements

Comprehensive CSS Token System

  • Layout Tokens: Container widths, sidebar dimensions, gaps, and gutters
  • Typography Tokens: Font sizes, families, line heights, and letter spacing
  • Spacing Tokens: Consistent scale from xs (8px) to xl (48px)
  • Responsive Typography: Fluid font sizing with clamp() functions

Streamlined Sidebar

  • Component Stack: Organized sidebar with consistent spacing
  • Conditional Components: Author card and newsletter based on theme settings
  • Removed Clutter: Eliminated all tag clouds and tag lists for cleaner design

🗑️ Removed Features

Table of Contents (TOC)

  • Complete Removal: Eliminated TOC functionality that was causing scrollbar issues
  • Cleaner Sidebar: Simplified sidebar without TOC widget
  • Reduced Dependencies: Removed tocbot library and related CSS/JS
  • Better Performance: Lighter theme with less JavaScript and CSS

Tag Display Cleanup

  • Hidden Tags: Removed tag display from post and page headers
  • Preserved Functionality: Tags still work for organization and tag archive pages
  • Cleaner Design: Focus on content without tag clutter

🔧 Technical Improvements

Build System

  • Rollup Configuration: Maintained existing build pipeline with PostCSS
  • Production Optimization: CSS/JS minification and source map generation
  • GScan Compatibility: Passes Ghost 6.0+ validation requirements
  • ZIP Distribution: Automated theme packaging for easy installation

Theme Customization

  • 16 Custom Options: All existing theme customization options preserved
  • Font System: Complete support for Monospace, Serif, and Sans-serif fonts
  • Layout Options: Full-width, 1220px, and 960px container options
  • Card Customization: Image ratios, heights, radius, and shadow options
  • Author Overrides: Custom name, bio, avatar, and social links

Code Quality

  • Consistent Structure: Unified template structure across all page types
  • Clean CSS: Organized stylesheets with proper component separation
  • Responsive First: Mobile-first approach with desktop enhancements
  • Performance Optimized: Minimal JavaScript and efficient CSS

📱 Responsive Design

Desktop (>980px)

  • Two-column grid layout with sticky sidebar
  • Horizontal card layout with image thumbnails
  • Optimal typography scaling
  • Full sidebar functionality

Mobile (≤980px)

  • Single column layout with sidebar below content
  • Vertical card layout for better mobile experience
  • Touch-friendly interface elements
  • Optimized font sizes and spacing

🎯 Design Philosophy

This release embodies a "less is more" philosophy, focusing on:

  • Content First: Clean, distraction-free reading experience
  • Consistent Design: Unified visual language across all pages
  • Performance: Lightweight and fast-loading theme
  • Accessibility: Proper contrast, typography, and responsive design
  • Customization: Flexible options without overwhelming complexity

🔄 Migration Notes

From v0.0.3

  • Automatic: No manual migration required
  • Settings Preserved: All existing theme customization options maintained
  • TOC Users: Table of Contents functionality has been removed
  • Tag Display: Tags no longer appear in post/page headers (still functional for archives)

Theme Settings

  • Removed: show_toc option (no longer needed)
  • Removed: show_tags option (was unused)
  • All other customization options remain fully functional

🐛 Bug Fixes

  • Fixed card width constraints that prevented full content area utilization
  • Resolved TOC scrollbar issues by complete removal
  • Improved responsive behavior across all breakpoints
  • Enhanced member page layout consistency
  • Corrected typography hierarchy inconsistencies

📦 Package Information

  • Ghost Compatibility: 6.0+
  • File Count: 68 files (optimized from 70)
  • Dependencies: Reduced (removed tocbot)
  • Build Size: Optimized CSS and JS bundles
  • GScan Status: ✅ Passes validation

Full Changelog: v0.0.3...v0.0.4

Download: skullx-v0.0.4.zip

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