Byte — Free Developer / Tech Blog Website Template
Byte is a developer blog template built around how engineers actually read: syntax-lit code blocks with filename bars, line numbers and one-click copy, plus a persisted dark-mode toggle that never flashes on load. It ships as a fast, static, Bootstrap 5 site with zero jQuery and inline-SVG icons, so it deploys clean even behind a strict Content-Security-Policy.
Features
- Persisted light/dark mode toggle (vanilla JS + localStorage) with a flash-free early-init script
- Syntax-highlighted-looking code blocks styled in pure CSS — no client-side highlighter, no layout shift
- Terminal-window hero with a live-looking snippet, title bar and copy button
- Language/tag chips with GitHub-style colored dots (JS, TS, Rust, Go, Python, SQL, Shell)
- Featured post, latest-posts grid, topic browser, multi-part series list and popular sidebar
- Secondary post.html with a sticky scroll-spy table of contents, note/tip/warning callouts and an author bio box
- Terminal-styled newsletter block with inline email validation
- Accessible by default: skip link, landmarks, aria-labels on icon buttons, visible focus rings, reduced-motion support
At a glance
- Framework: Bootstrap 5
- License: Free for personal and commercial use
- Pages: 2 (index.html, post.html)
- Responsive: Yes
- Style: Technical editorial — blue-black ink, coral signal accent, monospace accents
How to use it
Download the ZIP, unzip it, and open index.html — there is no build step and no dependencies to install. Replace the demo text and images with your own, point any forms at your backend or a form service, and deploy the folder to any static host. Colours, fonts, and spacing live in css/style.css; the interactions are in js/main.js. Bootstrap 5 is bundled locally, so it works offline and on strict-CSP hosts.
FAQ
Is a JavaScript syntax highlighter required?
No. All code coloring is done with plain CSS classes on `<span>` tokens, so pages stay fast and there is no highlight flicker or layout shift. Swap in a highlighter later if you prefer, but you do not need one.
Does the dark mode remember my choice?
Yes. Your selection is saved to localStorage and a tiny blocking init script applies it before the first paint, so there is no flash of the wrong theme on reload. With no saved choice, it follows your operating-system preference automatically.
Will it work on a strict-CSP host?
Yes. Bootstrap and its JS are self-hosted with relative paths, all icons are inline SVG (no icon fonts), and there is no jQuery or third-party script. Only Google Fonts is loaded from an external host.
Can I use it for a commercial engineering blog?
Absolutely. Byte is free for both personal and commercial projects. Replace the demo copy, swap the images in `img/`, and point the newsletter form at your own provider.
