Theme
Theme
This page documents the visual language and content behaviour of Academic Work in one place. It is intended as a working reference for anyone adapting the theme, extending components, or checking how different content types render in a single-page layout.
Use it as a style guide, a documentation page, and a regression check for future layout changes.
Palette
Colour Scheme
The theme uses a restrained editorial palette built around paper, ink, linework, and a single label accent.
Background
Surface
Surface Strong
Text
Muted
Label Accent
Spacing
Spacing, Padding, Rhythm
Spacing is deliberately quiet. The site relies on a single responsive gutter, sectional padding, and a compact editorial rhythm inside prose and cards.
Gutter
Body Flow
Section Padding
Compact
Regular
Spacious
Grid
Grid Variations
The theme leans on simple, readable grids. These examples mirror the kinds of layouts used for lists, highlights, and support content.
Two Column
Best for balanced comparisons, project summaries, or paired metadata.
Even Measure
Both columns retain equal weight and keep reading order obvious.
Three Up
Useful for features, metrics, or small reference cards.
Modular
Maintains rhythm without becoming visually loud.
Compact
Stacks cleanly on narrow viewports with the same content order.
Callouts
Figure
Typography
The template is built around a restrained editorial hierarchy:
- Display headings use the largest fluid steps for home and section entrances.
- Page headings sit slightly lower, keeping internal pages calm and readable.
- Body copy prioritises long-form reading over dense UI styling.
Monospace contentis reserved for code, notation, paths, and technical labels.
Type Sample
Display Heading
Section Heading
Subsection Heading
This is standard body copy in the main reading measure. It is meant to feel stable and unhurried, especially for research statements, notes, and longer essays. Inline code like hugo server or /research/ should remain visually distinct without overpowering the surrounding text.
This is a blockquote example. It works well for notes, cited observations, or short highlighted passages inside essays and documentation.
Lists
Unordered List
- Research notes and commentary
- Project summaries and links
- Reading lists and resource pages
Ordered List
- Draft the content model.
- Assign a layout or reuse the default single template.
- Add front matter, examples, and supporting links.
Nested List
- Section-level content
- prose
- metadata
- supporting links
- Page-level enhancements
- tables
- figures
- mathematics
Code Blocks
[params]
description = "A simple and minimal Hugo template for academic work."
author = "Your Name"
tagline = "Research, notes, writing, and documents in one place."
hugo new notes/reading-distributed-systems.md
hugo server
Tables
Table
Default Table
The default table keeps visible borders and a neutral surface. Use this for reference material, schedules, or compact data.
| Section | Purpose | Typical Content |
|---|---|---|
| Research | Papers and talks | Publications, preprints, conference notes |
| Notes | Working ideas | Reading notes, drafts, summaries |
| Library | Documents | PDFs, appendices, datasets |
Table
Striped Table
The striped variation adds alternating row fills for slightly denser scans without changing the overall tone.
| Token | Value | Role |
|---|---|---|
--bg | #f5f4f1 | Page background |
--surface | #ffffff | Cards and code blocks |
--line | #d4d1ca | Borders and dividers |
--label | #a03b10 | Eyebrows and accents |
Table
Striped Table Without Borders
This version removes the strong grid lines and relies on row striping and spacing. It works for lighter documentation pages.
| Scale | Desktop Use | Mobile Use |
|---|---|---|
| Compact | Metadata, tags, labels | Short lists and captions |
| Regular | Cards, prose blocks | Default content spacing |
| Spacious | Hero sections, featured content | Intro sections and grouped modules |
LaTeX and Math
KaTeX can be enabled per page or globally. This page enables math in front matter so both inline and display examples render on the same single page.
Inline math example: the space requirement of a vector clock is $O(n)$.
Display math example:
$$ \Pr(X = x_i) = \frac{w_i}{\sum_{j=1}^{k} w_j} $$A second display example:
$$ \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} e^{-x^2}\,dx = \sqrt{\pi} $$Content Patterns
Research Entry Pattern
- Title
- Authors
- Venue or publication
- Abstract or summary
- External links such as PDF, code, slides, or project page
Notes Pattern
- Clear title
- Date
- Optional series name
- Lightweight tags
- Prose-first body content
Library Pattern
- Document title
- Short description of what the file contains
- Direct file link for PDFs or appendices
Project Metadata Pattern
Horizontal Rule
Closing Note
The intention of this page is not just to show what is possible, but to establish a stable visual contract for the theme. If a future change affects spacing, table rendering, heading rhythm, code blocks, or math rendering, this page should make that immediately visible.