Gopher
TEMPLATES FUNDAMENTALS

Hugo's Lookup Order

Hugo searches for the layout to use for a given page in a well defined order, starting from the most specific.

Hugo Layouts Lookup Rules  

Hugo takes the parameters listed below into consideration when choosing a layout for a given page. They are listed in a priority order. This should feel natural, but look at the table below for concrete examples of the different parameter variations.

Kind
The page Kind (the home page is one). See the example tables below per kind. This also determines if it is a single page (i.e. a regular content page. We then look for a template in _default/single.html for HTML) or a list page (section listings, home page, taxonomy lists, taxonomy terms. We then look for a template in _default/list.html for HTML).
Layout
Can be set in page front matter.
Output Format
See Custom Output Formats . An output format has both a name (e.g. rss, amp, html) and a suffix (e.g. xml, html). We prefer matches with both (e.g. index.amp.html, but look for less specific templates.
Language
We will consider a language code in the template name. If the site language is fr, index.fr.amp.html will win over index.amp.html, but index.amp.html will be chosen before index.fr.html.
Type
Is value of type if set in front matter, else it is the name of the root section (e.g. “blog”). It will always have a value, so if not set, the value is “page”.
Section
Is relevant for section, taxonomy and term types.

Hugo Layouts Lookup Rules With Theme  

In Hugo, layouts can live in either the project’s or the themes' layout folders, and the most specific layout will be chosen. Hugo will interleave the lookups listed below, finding the most specific one either in the project or themes.

Examples: Layout Lookup for Regular Pages  

Example OutputFormat Suffix Template Lookup Order
Single page in "posts" section HTML html [layouts/posts/single.html.html layouts/posts/single.html layouts/_default/single.html.html layouts/_default/single.html]
Base template for single page in "posts" section HTML html [layouts/posts/single-baseof.html.html layouts/posts/baseof.html.html layouts/posts/single-baseof.html layouts/posts/baseof.html layouts/_default/single-baseof.html.html layouts/_default/baseof.html.html layouts/_default/single-baseof.html layouts/_default/baseof.html]
Single page in "posts" section with layout set HTML html [layouts/posts/demolayout.html.html layouts/posts/single.html.html layouts/posts/demolayout.html layouts/posts/single.html layouts/_default/demolayout.html.html layouts/_default/single.html.html layouts/_default/demolayout.html layouts/_default/single.html]
Base template for single page in "posts" section with layout set HTML html [layouts/posts/demolayout-baseof.html.html layouts/posts/single-baseof.html.html layouts/posts/baseof.html.html layouts/posts/demolayout-baseof.html layouts/posts/single-baseof.html layouts/posts/baseof.html layouts/_default/demolayout-baseof.html.html layouts/_default/single-baseof.html.html layouts/_default/baseof.html.html layouts/_default/demolayout-baseof.html layouts/_default/single-baseof.html layouts/_default/baseof.html]
AMP single page AMP html [layouts/posts/single.amp.html layouts/posts/single.html layouts/_default/single.amp.html layouts/_default/single.html]
AMP single page, French language AMP html [layouts/posts/single.fr.amp.html layouts/posts/single.amp.html layouts/posts/single.fr.html layouts/posts/single.html layouts/_default/single.fr.amp.html layouts/_default/single.amp.html layouts/_default/single.fr.html layouts/_default/single.html]

Examples: Layout Lookup for Home Page  

Example OutputFormat Suffix Template Lookup Order
Home page HTML html [layouts/index.html.html layouts/home.html.html layouts/list.html.html layouts/index.html layouts/home.html layouts/list.html layouts/_default/index.html.html layouts/_default/home.html.html layouts/_default/list.html.html layouts/_default/index.html layouts/_default/home.html layouts/_default/list.html]
Base template for home page HTML html [layouts/index-baseof.html.html layouts/home-baseof.html.html layouts/list-baseof.html.html layouts/baseof.html.html layouts/index-baseof.html layouts/home-baseof.html layouts/list-baseof.html layouts/baseof.html layouts/_default/index-baseof.html.html layouts/_default/home-baseof.html.html layouts/_default/list-baseof.html.html layouts/_default/baseof.html.html layouts/_default/index-baseof.html layouts/_default/home-baseof.html layouts/_default/list-baseof.html layouts/_default/baseof.html]
Home page with type set HTML html [layouts/demotype/index.html.html layouts/demotype/home.html.html layouts/demotype/list.html.html layouts/demotype/index.html layouts/demotype/home.html layouts/demotype/list.html layouts/index.html.html layouts/home.html.html layouts/list.html.html layouts/index.html layouts/home.html layouts/list.html layouts/_default/index.html.html layouts/_default/home.html.html layouts/_default/list.html.html layouts/_default/index.html layouts/_default/home.html layouts/_default/list.html]
Base template for home page with type set HTML html [layouts/demotype/index-baseof.html.html layouts/demotype/home-baseof.html.html layouts/demotype/list-baseof.html.html layouts/demotype/baseof.html.html layouts/demotype/index-baseof.html layouts/demotype/home-baseof.html layouts/demotype/list-baseof.html layouts/demotype/baseof.html layouts/index-baseof.html.html layouts/home-baseof.html.html layouts/list-baseof.html.html layouts/baseof.html.html layouts/index-baseof.html layouts/home-baseof.html layouts/list-baseof.html layouts/baseof.html layouts/_default/index-baseof.html.html layouts/_default/home-baseof.html.html layouts/_default/list-baseof.html.html layouts/_default/baseof.html.html layouts/_default/index-baseof.html layouts/_default/home-baseof.html layouts/_default/list-baseof.html layouts/_default/baseof.html]
Home page with layout set HTML html [layouts/demolayout.html.html layouts/index.html.html layouts/home.html.html layouts/list.html.html layouts/demolayout.html layouts/index.html layouts/home.html layouts/list.html layouts/_default/demolayout.html.html layouts/_default/index.html.html layouts/_default/home.html.html layouts/_default/list.html.html layouts/_default/demolayout.html layouts/_default/index.html layouts/_default/home.html layouts/_default/list.html]
AMP home, French language" AMP html [layouts/index.fr.amp.html layouts/home.fr.amp.html layouts/list.fr.amp.html layouts/index.amp.html layouts/home.amp.html layouts/list.amp.html layouts/index.fr.html layouts/home.fr.html layouts/list.fr.html layouts/index.html layouts/home.html layouts/list.html layouts/_default/index.fr.amp.html layouts/_default/home.fr.amp.html layouts/_default/list.fr.amp.html layouts/_default/index.amp.html layouts/_default/home.amp.html layouts/_default/list.amp.html layouts/_default/index.fr.html layouts/_default/home.fr.html layouts/_default/list.fr.html layouts/_default/index.html layouts/_default/home.html layouts/_default/list.html]
JSON home JSON json [layouts/index.json.json layouts/home.json.json layouts/list.json.json layouts/index.json layouts/home.json layouts/list.json layouts/_default/index.json.json layouts/_default/home.json.json layouts/_default/list.json.json layouts/_default/index.json layouts/_default/home.json layouts/_default/list.json]
RSS home RSS xml [layouts/index.rss.xml layouts/home.rss.xml layouts/rss.xml layouts/list.rss.xml layouts/index.xml layouts/home.xml layouts/list.xml layouts/_default/index.rss.xml layouts/_default/home.rss.xml layouts/_default/rss.xml layouts/_default/list.rss.xml layouts/_default/index.xml layouts/_default/home.xml layouts/_default/list.xml layouts/_internal/_default/rss.xml]

Examples: Layout Lookup for Section Pages  

Example OutputFormat Suffix Template Lookup Order
RSS section posts RSS xml [layouts/posts/section.rss.xml layouts/posts/rss.xml layouts/posts/list.rss.xml layouts/posts/section.xml layouts/posts/list.xml layouts/section/section.rss.xml layouts/section/rss.xml layouts/section/list.rss.xml layouts/section/section.xml layouts/section/list.xml layouts/_default/section.rss.xml layouts/_default/rss.xml layouts/_default/list.rss.xml layouts/_default/section.xml layouts/_default/list.xml layouts/_internal/_default/rss.xml]
Section list for "posts" section HTML html [layouts/posts/posts.html.html layouts/posts/section.html.html layouts/posts/list.html.html layouts/posts/posts.html layouts/posts/section.html layouts/posts/list.html layouts/section/posts.html.html layouts/section/section.html.html layouts/section/list.html.html layouts/section/posts.html layouts/section/section.html layouts/section/list.html layouts/_default/posts.html.html layouts/_default/section.html.html layouts/_default/list.html.html layouts/_default/posts.html layouts/_default/section.html layouts/_default/list.html]
Section list for "posts" section with type set to "blog" HTML html [layouts/blog/posts.html.html layouts/blog/section.html.html layouts/blog/list.html.html layouts/blog/posts.html layouts/blog/section.html layouts/blog/list.html layouts/posts/posts.html.html layouts/posts/section.html.html layouts/posts/list.html.html layouts/posts/posts.html layouts/posts/section.html layouts/posts/list.html layouts/section/posts.html.html layouts/section/section.html.html layouts/section/list.html.html layouts/section/posts.html layouts/section/section.html layouts/section/list.html layouts/_default/posts.html.html layouts/_default/section.html.html layouts/_default/list.html.html layouts/_default/posts.html layouts/_default/section.html layouts/_default/list.html]
Section list for "posts" section with layout set to "demoLayout" HTML html [layouts/posts/demolayout.html.html layouts/posts/posts.html.html layouts/posts/section.html.html layouts/posts/list.html.html layouts/posts/demolayout.html layouts/posts/posts.html layouts/posts/section.html layouts/posts/list.html layouts/section/demolayout.html.html layouts/section/posts.html.html layouts/section/section.html.html layouts/section/list.html.html layouts/section/demolayout.html layouts/section/posts.html layouts/section/section.html layouts/section/list.html layouts/_default/demolayout.html.html layouts/_default/posts.html.html layouts/_default/section.html.html layouts/_default/list.html.html layouts/_default/demolayout.html layouts/_default/posts.html layouts/_default/section.html layouts/_default/list.html]

Examples: Layout Lookup for Taxonomy Pages  

Example OutputFormat Suffix Template Lookup Order
Taxonomy in categories RSS xml [layouts/categories/category.terms.rss.xml layouts/categories/terms.rss.xml layouts/categories/taxonomy.rss.xml layouts/categories/rss.xml layouts/categories/list.rss.xml layouts/categories/category.terms.xml layouts/categories/terms.xml layouts/categories/taxonomy.xml layouts/categories/list.xml layouts/category/category.terms.rss.xml layouts/category/terms.rss.xml layouts/category/taxonomy.rss.xml layouts/category/rss.xml layouts/category/list.rss.xml layouts/category/category.terms.xml layouts/category/terms.xml layouts/category/taxonomy.xml layouts/category/list.xml layouts/taxonomy/category.terms.rss.xml layouts/taxonomy/terms.rss.xml layouts/taxonomy/taxonomy.rss.xml layouts/taxonomy/rss.xml layouts/taxonomy/list.rss.xml layouts/taxonomy/category.terms.xml layouts/taxonomy/terms.xml layouts/taxonomy/taxonomy.xml layouts/taxonomy/list.xml layouts/_default/category.terms.rss.xml layouts/_default/terms.rss.xml layouts/_default/taxonomy.rss.xml layouts/_default/rss.xml layouts/_default/list.rss.xml layouts/_default/category.terms.xml layouts/_default/terms.xml layouts/_default/taxonomy.xml layouts/_default/list.xml layouts/_internal/_default/rss.xml]
Taxonomy list in categories HTML html [layouts/categories/category.terms.html.html layouts/categories/terms.html.html layouts/categories/taxonomy.html.html layouts/categories/list.html.html layouts/categories/category.terms.html layouts/categories/terms.html layouts/categories/taxonomy.html layouts/categories/list.html layouts/category/category.terms.html.html layouts/category/terms.html.html layouts/category/taxonomy.html.html layouts/category/list.html.html layouts/category/category.terms.html layouts/category/terms.html layouts/category/taxonomy.html layouts/category/list.html layouts/taxonomy/category.terms.html.html layouts/taxonomy/terms.html.html layouts/taxonomy/taxonomy.html.html layouts/taxonomy/list.html.html layouts/taxonomy/category.terms.html layouts/taxonomy/terms.html layouts/taxonomy/taxonomy.html layouts/taxonomy/list.html layouts/_default/category.terms.html.html layouts/_default/terms.html.html layouts/_default/taxonomy.html.html layouts/_default/list.html.html layouts/_default/category.terms.html layouts/_default/terms.html layouts/_default/taxonomy.html layouts/_default/list.html]

Examples: Layout Lookup for Term Pages  

Example OutputFormat Suffix Template Lookup Order
Term in categories RSS xml [layouts/categories/term.rss.xml layouts/categories/category.rss.xml layouts/categories/taxonomy.rss.xml layouts/categories/rss.xml layouts/categories/list.rss.xml layouts/categories/term.xml layouts/categories/category.xml layouts/categories/taxonomy.xml layouts/categories/list.xml layouts/term/term.rss.xml layouts/term/category.rss.xml layouts/term/taxonomy.rss.xml layouts/term/rss.xml layouts/term/list.rss.xml layouts/term/term.xml layouts/term/category.xml layouts/term/taxonomy.xml layouts/term/list.xml layouts/taxonomy/term.rss.xml layouts/taxonomy/category.rss.xml layouts/taxonomy/taxonomy.rss.xml layouts/taxonomy/rss.xml layouts/taxonomy/list.rss.xml layouts/taxonomy/term.xml layouts/taxonomy/category.xml layouts/taxonomy/taxonomy.xml layouts/taxonomy/list.xml layouts/category/term.rss.xml layouts/category/category.rss.xml layouts/category/taxonomy.rss.xml layouts/category/rss.xml layouts/category/list.rss.xml layouts/category/term.xml layouts/category/category.xml layouts/category/taxonomy.xml layouts/category/list.xml layouts/_default/term.rss.xml layouts/_default/category.rss.xml layouts/_default/taxonomy.rss.xml layouts/_default/rss.xml layouts/_default/list.rss.xml layouts/_default/term.xml layouts/_default/category.xml layouts/_default/taxonomy.xml layouts/_default/list.xml layouts/_internal/_default/rss.xml]
Taxonomy term in categories HTML html [layouts/categories/term.html.html layouts/categories/category.html.html layouts/categories/taxonomy.html.html layouts/categories/list.html.html layouts/categories/term.html layouts/categories/category.html layouts/categories/taxonomy.html layouts/categories/list.html layouts/term/term.html.html layouts/term/category.html.html layouts/term/taxonomy.html.html layouts/term/list.html.html layouts/term/term.html layouts/term/category.html layouts/term/taxonomy.html layouts/term/list.html layouts/taxonomy/term.html.html layouts/taxonomy/category.html.html layouts/taxonomy/taxonomy.html.html layouts/taxonomy/list.html.html layouts/taxonomy/term.html layouts/taxonomy/category.html layouts/taxonomy/taxonomy.html layouts/taxonomy/list.html layouts/category/term.html.html layouts/category/category.html.html layouts/category/taxonomy.html.html layouts/category/list.html.html layouts/category/term.html layouts/category/category.html layouts/category/taxonomy.html layouts/category/list.html layouts/_default/term.html.html layouts/_default/category.html.html layouts/_default/taxonomy.html.html layouts/_default/list.html.html layouts/_default/term.html layouts/_default/category.html layouts/_default/taxonomy.html layouts/_default/list.html]