[Insiders] Is the layouts directory required to exist when using the built-in social plugin, even if I'm not using any custom layouts?

[celsiusnarhwal]

Since upgrading to insiders-4.33.1, I've been getting a FileNotFoundError complaining that no layouts directory exists at the root of my MkDocs project (i.e. where mkdocs.yml is located). This error goes away if I create this directory - even if it's empty - but I'm not using any custom layouts and I haven't configured any layout-related settings for the plugin, so it strikes me as odd that Material for MkDocs nonetheless complains that the directory doesn't exist.

Is it intended that the presence of /layouts be required, or this is a bug?

[squidfunk]

No, it doesn't have to exist. I'll look into it!

[squidfunk]

Fixed in fe57a618d, definitely a bug, so thanks for reporting! The plugin itself checked if the directory exists, but an exists check was missing for MkDocs telling to watch the custom layout.