Every static site needs structure. Jekyll's layout system gives you that structure — a way to define the bones of each page type once, then fill in the content.
## What the post layout does
This layout handles blog posts and news entries. It ships with:
- Publication date, author, and estimated reading time
- Tag and category display
- Social sharing controls
- Previous / next navigation
## How it works
### Metadata
The layout reads your front matter and renders date, author, and reading time at the top. No configuration beyond the YAML block.
### Tags
Tags and categories render as compact labels. Readers can scan them to find related writing.
### Responsive
The reading column is constrained for comfortable line lengths. Images, code blocks, and tables reflow on smaller screens.
## Next steps
Copy this file, change the front matter, and start writing. The layout handles the rest.
