How do I clone the Mediumish theme from GitHub

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Why clone the Mediumish theme

Cloning a theme from GitHub is a fast and reliable way to build a clean blog design without starting from scratch. The Mediumish theme is popular because it mimics a simple content first layout that works well for articles and personal blogs. For beginners cloning the theme gives you a working codebase to inspect learn and modify. You will see how layouts partials and assets are organized and you can reuse components for your own design.

What you need before you start

Tools

  • Git installed on your computer
  • A code editor such as VS Code
  • Node.js and npm or yarn if the theme uses a build step
  • A browser to preview the site
  • An optional GitHub account if you plan to fork or deploy

Basic knowledge

You do not need advanced skills. Familiarity with running commands in a terminal and editing files in a code editor is enough. The guide will walk through each command and explain why it matters.

Step by step clone and run

1. Find the correct GitHub repository

Search for the Mediumish theme repository on GitHub. Look for a repository with a clear README recent commits and a license that allows reuse. If there are multiple forks prefer the one that is most maintained or the original author repository. The README typically has instructions to build and run the theme locally.

2. Clone the repository

Open a terminal and choose a directory where you want the project to live. Run a Git clone command to copy the repository to your machine. Replace the URL with the repository you selected. 

git clone https://github.com/username/mediumish-theme.git
cd mediumish-theme

If you want to keep a link to your own GitHub account use fork then clone your fork. Forking lets you push changes and keep a personal copy.

3. Install dependencies

Many themes include a build step to compile CSS JavaScript or static site output. Check the README for commands. Common tools used are npm or yarn. If the project has a package.json file then run install. 

npm install
# or
yarn install

If the theme is a static template without a build step you may not need Node. Some themes are plain HTML CSS and images and will work just by opening index.html in the browser.

4. Run a local server

Follow the README to run the project locally. Typical commands: 

npm run dev
# or
npm start
# or for simple static files
npx http-server ./ -o

Open the address the command prints such as http://localhost:3000 in your browser. If there are build errors read the terminal output and install any missing global tools the project needs.

How to customize safely

When you start editing files follow these practices to avoid breaking the theme and to keep updates manageable.

Make changes in a separate branch

Create a new Git branch for custom work. This keeps the main branch clean and lets you merge or revert changes easily. 

git checkout -b customize-branding

Adjust colors typography and logo

Inspect the CSS or variables file. Many modern themes use CSS variables SCSS or a config file for colors. Change the variables instead of editing repeated values across many files.

Keep layout changes modular

If the theme uses components or partials change the specific partial instead of rewriting whole templates. This makes future updates easier and reduces conflicts when upstream changes land.

How to deploy to GitHub Pages or a hosting provider

There are multiple hosting options. Below are concise deployment options for popular choices.

Deploy to GitHub Pages

If the theme is a static site you can deploy directly to GitHub Pages by pushing the built site to the gh-pages branch or to the repository main branch with the correct settings. 

# Example build and push commands
npm run build
# publish the build folder to gh-pages
npx gh-pages -d dist

Deploy to Netlify or Vercel

Netlify and Vercel auto-deploy from a connected GitHub repository. Connect your repo choose a build command and the publish folder and then every push will deploy a preview and production site.

Common problems and fixes

Beginners often hit a few recurring issues. This section lists typical errors and how to fix them.

Missing Node version or incompatible dependency

Check the README for a recommended Node version. Use a version manager such as nvm to switch Node versions. Example: 

nvm install 16
nvm use 16

Build fails with module not found

Make sure you ran npm install. If a package fails to install check the error message and search for the package name or version conflicts. Deleting node_modules and reinstalling can help: 

rm -rf node_modules
npm install

Styles look broken

Clear cached files and ensure the build step produced the correct CSS files. Open developer tools to see if CSS files 404. If CSS is missing check the build output folder.

Quick command summary

Task Command
Clone repo git clone <repo url>
Create branch git checkout -b my-branch
Install dependencies npm install
Run dev server npm run dev
Build for production npm run build

FAQ

Can I use the theme for commercial projects

Yes if the repository license allows it. Check the LICENSE file in the repo. Many themes use permissive licenses but always confirm before using for commercial work.

What if the repository is no longer maintained

You can still clone and use it but be cautious about security issues or outdated dependencies. Consider freezing the build environment and avoid upgrading risky packages without testing.

Can I convert this theme to another static site generator

Yes. The effort depends on template languages and build systems. Keep the CSS and assets and translate templates into your chosen generator templates. This is a moderate task for beginners but a great learning opportunity.

Final notes and best practices

Cloning a theme is a learning process. Start small: clone run and make a single safe change such as replacing the logo or editing a color variable. Commit frequently and test changes in the browser. Use branches for features and keep a backup of your original cloned repository. When you are ready to go live pick a deployment method that fits your workflow for example GitHub Pages for simple static sites or Netlify for continuous deployment and previews.

If you want an exact checklist here is a short runnable checklist you can copy into a note and follow step by step.

  • Find a maintained Mediumish repository with a license
  • Fork repository if you want remote control
  • Clone locally
  • Install dependencies
  • Run local server and verify the site
  • Create a branch for customizations
  • Change variables and assets instead of rewriting files
  • Build and test production output
  • Deploy using GitHub Pages Netlify or another host
  • Keep your fork or branch updated selectively

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