What Files and Resources Are Included in HTML5 Boilerplate?

Updated

HTML5 Boilerplate ships as a starter template whose contents are meant to be edited or deleted rather than kept as-is. According to the project's own description, the download includes a delete-key friendly index.html with recommended meta tags, a main.css with base styles and helpers, independently maintained server configs for multiple platforms, and placeholder icons plus documentation of extra tips.

The core files

index.html

The starting page is described as "delete-key friendly," meaning it is built to be stripped down rather than preserved. It comes with recommended meta tags already in place, so you begin from a documented baseline instead of an empty document. The practical step is to open it, remove the sections you don't need, and keep the meta tag block as a reference for what a page head typically includes.

main.css

The stylesheet provides four things in one file:

  • base styles
  • helper classes
  • media queries
  • print styles

Because these are bundled, you can either build on top of them or delete the parts you don't want. If you already have a CSS approach, expect to spend a few minutes deciding which helpers to keep.

Server settings

The project states that it independently maintains server configs for multiple platforms, with the stated purpose of helping you deliver site performance and security. This is a separate resource from the HTML and CSS: it targets how the server responds, not how the page is marked up. Which config applies to you depends on your hosting platform, so check the config list against your actual server before copying anything.

Icons and documentation

The template includes a placeholder favicon and a touch-device icon, both intended to be replaced with your own assets. Alongside them, the project provides docs covering "dozens of extra tips and tricks" — useful as a reference when you hit a specific problem rather than as required reading before you start.

What this means in practice

Resource What you get What you do with it
index.html Starter page with recommended meta tags Delete what you don't need, keep the meta tags as reference
main.css Base styles, helpers, media queries, print styles Build on it or remove sections
Server settings Configs for multiple platforms Pick the one matching your server
Icons & docs Placeholder favicon and touch icon, extra tips Swap in your own icons, consult docs as needed

If you want a documented starting point you can trim down, this set of files covers the common gaps. If you prefer to assemble your own head, styles, and server config from scratch, the template's value is mainly as a checklist of what those pieces usually contain.