dev log 1

dev log — fixing external links + jekyll build pipeline

i finally got external links behaving correctly across the entire site, including the menu.

problem i had

some links (like spotify) opened in a new tab, while others (instagram, vsco) stubbornly opened in the same tab even though target="_blank" existed in the generated html. this turned out to be a mix of theme behavior, build configuration, and plugin wiring issues.

what i changed

• updated _includes/menu_item.html to explicitly inject:
  • target="_blank"
  • rel="noopener noreferrer" for external urls using liquid logic
• added jekyll-target-blank to the gemfile so bundler installs the plugin
• added jekyll-target-blank to the plugins section in _config.yml so jekyll actually loads it
• fixed the github actions workflow (jekyll.yml) to:
  • use ruby 3.1 (compatibility matters)
  • build with bundle exec jekyll build
  • rely on bundler caching for consistent dependencies
  • deploy properly via github pages actions

why it works now

everything in the pipeline finally agrees:

• bundler installs the right gems
• jekyll loads the plugin
• liquid renders the correct attributes at template time
• github actions builds the site using the same rules as local

instead of relying on hacks or fragile post-processing, the behavior is now enforced at the source.

feel free to check out the repo here: code

n30