Unit Build: Extension Decision Record

Unit 7 does not end with "installed a theme and five plugins."

It ends with controlled dependency decisions.

Required theme evidence

Choose one:

Path A — Keep custom architecture

Document why your existing layouts/includes/CSS are the better fit.

Still inspect one gem-based theme so you can explain the alternative.

Path B — Adopt a theme

Document:

• theme dependency/version;
• hidden theme source you inspected;
• local overrides;
• what update behavior each override gives up;
• generated-output comparison.

Required plugin evidence

Run the bounded plugin decision lab from Lesson 10.

You may keep or remove the plugin afterward.

The decision is the artifact.

Extension architecture diagram

Show:

YOUR SOURCE
  +
THEME GEM? ----------→ layouts/includes/assets/data
  +
PLUGIN GEM? ---------→ build extension point
  ↓
JEKYLL
  ↓
GENERATED SITE

Use only the dependencies you actually have.

Portability record

State:

Local build environment:
Deployment path:
Theme compatibility evidence:
Plugin compatibility evidence:
Fallback if dependency becomes unavailable:

Unit defense

Answer:

1. What can a Jekyll theme provide besides CSS?
2. How do you locate gem-based theme files?
3. What happens when you locally override a theme file?
4. How is a plugin different from a theme?
5. What plugin extension category did you investigate?
6. Why can local success differ from hosted build success?
7. Which dependency did you reject, and why?

Move on when

Your portfolio dependencies are intentional, inspectable, and defensible.

Unit 8 moves from the local build into Git history, GitHub review, and production deployment.