How to Use Custom Templates in Ghost

Introduction

Ghost gives developers a powerful templating system that makes it easy to create completely custom website layouts.

With custom templates, you can build:

• archive pages
• custom homepages
• portfolio layouts
• landing pages
• membership pages
• category pages
• author pages
• advanced magazine layouts

This is one of the most powerful features for Ghost theme developers.

In this guide, we’ll explore how custom templates work and how to use them inside your Ghost themes.

What Are Custom Templates in Ghost?

Ghost themes use:

• Handlebars (.hbs) files
• routing
• dynamic content helpers

to control the website layout.

Custom templates allow you to create different designs for:

• pages
• posts
• tags
• authors
• collections

instead of using the same default layout everywhere.

Ghost Template Structure

Step 1 — Access Your Theme Files

Ghost themes are located inside:

/content/themes/YOUR-THEME/

Inside this folder, you’ll find:

• Handlebars templates
• assets
• partials
• routes
• helpers

Real Example From My Workflow

When building Ghost themes for my marketplace, I usually organize templates into:

• reusable partials
• homepage sections
• custom page templates
• dynamic magazine blocks

This keeps the theme:

• cleaner
• easier to scale
• easier to maintain

Step 2 — Create a Custom Page Template

Let’s create a custom archive page.

Create:

custom-archive.hbs

Example:

{{!< default}}

<section class="archive-page">
    <h1>All Articles</h1>

    <div class="post-grid">
        {{#foreach posts}}
            <article class="post-card">
                <h2>
                    <a href="{{url}}">
                        {{title}}
                    </a>
                </h2>
            </article>
        {{/foreach}}
    </div>
</section>

This creates a fully custom archive layout.

Step 3 — Assign the Template in Ghost Admin

Inside Ghost Editor:

1. Create a new page
2. Open Page Settings
3. Find:

Template

4. Select:

custom-archive

Ghost automatically applies the template.

Step 4 — Use Partials

Ghost themes often use partials to reuse components.

Example:

/partials/header.hbs

Then include it:

{{> "header"}}

This keeps themes modular and organized.

Step 5 — Create Advanced Layouts

Custom templates allow you to build:

• featured article sections
• sliders
• hero layouts
• portfolio grids
• magazine sections
• membership landing pages

This is how premium Ghost themes create unique designs.

Example: Featured Posts Section

{{#get "posts" filter="featured:true" limit="3"}}
    {{#foreach posts}}
        <article>
            <h2>{{title}}</h2>
        </article>
    {{/foreach}}
{{/get}}

This dynamically loads featured articles.

Step 6 — Customize Routes

Ghost also supports advanced routing using:

routes.yaml

This allows:

• custom collections
• dynamic URLs
• channel pages
• custom archives

Example:

collections: 
  /tutorials/:    
    permalink: /tutorials/{slug}/    
    template: tutorials

Very powerful for large publications.

Real Developer Tip

From my experience building Ghost themes, custom templates become much easier to manage when you:

• separate components into partials
• avoid huge template files
• reuse sections
• keep consistent naming

This becomes especially important for:

• magazine themes
• portfolio themes
• multi-layout websites

Common Mistakes

1. Overcomplicated Template Structure

Keep your files organized and modular.

2. Duplicating Code Everywhere

Use partials instead.

3. Ignoring Mobile Layouts

Always test templates on:

• desktop
• tablet
• mobile

4. Poor Naming Conventions

Use consistent names like:

• custom-contact.hbs
• custom-archive.hbs
• custom-membership.hbs

Why Custom Templates Matter

Custom templates are one of the biggest reasons Ghost themes feel:

• modern
• flexible
• premium

They allow developers to create unique experiences while keeping content management simple.

This is especially important for:

• marketplaces
• creators
• magazines
• premium publications

Final Thoughts

Custom templates unlock the real power of Ghost theme development.

With the right structure, you can create:

• highly customizable layouts
• dynamic homepages
• advanced content systems
• beautiful modern themes

—all while keeping Ghost fast and clean.

For theme developers, mastering templates is one of the most valuable Ghost skills.