Configuration

All settings live in YAML frontmatter — no separate config file.

Deck-Level Settings

Defined in the first frontmatter block of the deck entry file (before any slide content):

Property	Type	Default	Description
`title`	`string`	`""`	Deck title (HTML `<title>`, metadata)
`description`	`string`	`""`	Deck description (metadata)
`aspectRatio`	`"n:n"`	`"16:9"`	Slide canvas aspect ratio
`colorMode`	`"system" \| "light" \| "dark"`	`"system"`	Browser color mode
`pdfColorMode`	`"light" \| "dark"`	unset	Optional PDF color mode; when unset, falls back to pinned `colorMode`, then `light`
`pdfSteps`	`"final" \| "all"`	`"final"`	PDF includes all steps or final state
`transition`	`string \| boolean`	`fade`	Default named slide transition (`fade`, `none`, `slide-left`, `magic`, or custom CSS name)
`transitionDuration`	`number`	`200`	Default slide transition duration in milliseconds
`transitionEasing`	`string`	`ease`	Default slide transition timing function
`magicCodeDuration`	`number`	`800`	Default Magic Code animation duration in milliseconds
`layouts`	`string`	`""` (built-in)	Layout map module path
`defaultLayout`	`string`	`"Default"`	Layout used when slide has no `layout:`
`showSlideNumbers`	`boolean`	`false`	Show the current slide number in the bottom-right corner of slides

Aspect Ratio

Slides are fixed-ratio canvases, not scrolling pages. Accepted values are "number:number" strings:

aspectRatio: "16:9"
aspectRatio: "4:3"
aspectRatio: "1:1"

Named presets, CSS syntax, and numeric values are not supported.

Color Mode

colorMode: system   # follow OS preference (default)
colorMode: light    # pin to light
colorMode: dark     # pin to dark

When pinned, the viewer cannot switch mode from navigation controls.

Transitions

A subtle named fade transition is applied between slides by default:

transition: fade    # default
transition: none    # disable
transition: magic   # explicit data-magic-id FLIP movement

Legacy booleans still work: transition: true maps to fade, and transition: false maps to none.

For built-ins, magic data-magic-id matching, custom CSS transitions, duration, and easing, see Transitions.

Magic Code Duration

Magic Code animations default to 800ms. Set a deck-wide default with magicCodeDuration:

magicCodeDuration: 500

A Magic Code block can override this locally with {duration:500}. Slide-level frontmatter does not configure Magic Code; the same key in slide frontmatter is treated as a layout prop.

Slide-Level Settings

Per-slide frontmatter (after ---):

Property	Type	Default	Description
`layout`	`string`	(uses `defaultLayout`)	Layout to use (PascalCase)
`transition`	`string \| boolean`	deck default	Named transition into this slide
`transitionDuration`	`number`	deck default	Transition duration into this slide in milliseconds
`transitionEasing`	`string`	deck default	Transition easing into this slide
...layout props	varies	—	Additional props the layout accepts

Example:

---
layout: Cover
author: Hendrik
---

# Welcome

A modern slide framework.

For the opening slide, layout: and its layout-specific fields may also live in the first frontmatter block alongside deck-level settings.

Minimal Generated Deck

honeydeck init generates frontmatter that keeps the clean defaults explicit and easy to swap:

---
title: "My First Deck"
colorMode: system
transition: fade
transitionDuration: 200
transitionEasing: ease
layouts: "@honeydeck/honeydeck/layouts"
layout: Cover
---

Use layouts: "./layouts" for custom layouts or layouts: "@honeydeck/honeydeck/layouts/bee" for the playful Bee layouts.

Configuration

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