diff --git a/layouts/_default/page-list.json b/layouts/_default/page-list.json
index 507009897..e40823ffa 100644
--- a/layouts/_default/page-list.json
+++ b/layouts/_default/page-list.json
@@ -8,49 +8,49 @@
   {{- if $index -}},{{- end }}
   {
     "name": {{ .Name | jsonify }},
-    "url": {{ absURL (cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL) | jsonify }},
+    "url": {{ absURL (default .URL .Params.url) | jsonify }},
     "children": [
       {{- range $index, $entry := .Children -}}
         {{- if $index -}},{{- end }}
         {
           "name": {{ .Name | jsonify }},
-          "url": {{ absURL (cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL) | jsonify }},
+          "url": {{ absURL (default .URL .Params.url) | jsonify }},
           "children": [
             {{- range $index, $entry := .Children -}}
             {{- if $index -}},{{- end }}
             {
               "name": {{ .Name | jsonify }},
-              "url": {{ absURL (cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL) | jsonify }},
+              "url": {{ absURL (default .URL .Params.url) | jsonify }},
               "children": [
                 {{- range $index, $entry := .Children -}}
                 {{- if $index -}},{{- end }}
                 {
                   "name": {{ .Name | jsonify }},
-                  "url": {{ absURL (cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL) | jsonify }},
+                  "url": {{ absURL (default .URL .Params.url) | jsonify }},
                   "children": [
                     {{- range $index, $entry := .Children -}}
                     {{- if $index -}},{{- end }}
                     {
                       "name": {{ .Name | jsonify }},
-                      "url": {{ absURL (cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL) | jsonify }},
+                      "url": {{ absURL (default .URL .Params.url) | jsonify }},
                       "children": [
                         {{- range $index, $entry := .Children -}}
                         {{- if $index -}},{{- end }}
                         {
                           "name": {{ .Name | jsonify }},
-                          "url": {{ absURL (cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL) | jsonify }},
+                          "url": {{ absURL (default .URL .Params.url) | jsonify }},
                           "children": [
                             {{- range $index, $entry := .Children -}}
                             {{- if $index -}},{{- end }}
                             {
                               "name": {{ .Name | jsonify }},
-                              "url": {{ absURL (cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL) | jsonify }},
+                              "url": {{ absURL (default .URL .Params.url) | jsonify }},
                               "children": [
                                 {{- range $index, $entry := .Children -}}
                                 {{- if $index -}},{{- end }}
                                 {
                                   "name": {{ .Name | jsonify }},
-                                  "url": {{ absURL (cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL) | jsonify }},
+                                  "url": {{ absURL (default .URL .Params.url) | jsonify }},
                                   "children": [
                                     {{ range .Children }}
                                     {{ end }}
diff --git a/layouts/partials/article/flux-contrib.html b/layouts/partials/article/flux-contrib.html
index dbd317e1d..6a0d1c749 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/article/flux-contrib.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/article/flux-contrib.html
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
       </div>
     {{ else if eq .Kind "section" }}
       <div class="important block">
-        {{ $packageTitle := cond (isset .Params "list_title") $.Params.list_title .Title }}
+        {{ $packageTitle := default .Title .Params.list_title }}
         {{ $packageName := replaceRE `^(.*)( package)` "<code>$1</code>$2" $packageTitle }}
         <p>
           The {{ $packageName | safeHTML }} is a user-contributed package
diff --git a/layouts/partials/article/flux-experimental.html b/layouts/partials/article/flux-experimental.html
index 3f951abff..9c3b75c50 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/article/flux-experimental.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/article/flux-experimental.html
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
       </div>
     {{ else if eq .Kind "section" }}
       <div class="important block">
-        {{ $packageTitle := cond (isset .Params "list_title") $.Params.list_title .Title }}
+        {{ $packageTitle := default .Title .Params.list_title }}
         {{ $packageName := replaceRE `^(.*)( package)` "<code>$1</code>$2" $packageTitle }}
         <p>
           The {{ $packageName | safeHTML }} is experimental and <a href="{{ $expRiskURL }}">subject to change at any time</a>.
diff --git a/layouts/partials/article/tags.html b/layouts/partials/article/tags.html
index 60b2f48ca..4c297c861 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/article/tags.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/article/tags.html
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 {{ $product := index $productPathData 0 }}
 {{ $version := index $productPathData 1 }}
 {{ $tagSet := print $product "/" $version "/tags" }}
-{{ if isset .Params $tagSet }}
+{{ with .Param $tagSet }}
   <div class="tags">
-    {{ range .Param $tagSet }}
+    {{ range . }}
       {{ $name := . }}
       {{ with $.Site.GetPage (printf "/%s/%s" $tagSet ($name | urlize)) }}
         <a class="tag btn" href="{{ .RelPermalink }}">{{ $name }}</a>
diff --git a/layouts/partials/header/title.html b/layouts/partials/header/title.html
index e6b1c8910..0ef890d79 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/header/title.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/header/title.html
@@ -35,10 +35,10 @@
 {{ else if eq $currentVersion nil}}
   {{ $scratch.Set "siteTitle" (print  (index .Site.Data.products $product).name " Documentation") }}
 {{ else }}
-  {{ if (isset (index .Site.Data.products $product) "altname" ) }}
-    {{ $scratch.Set "siteTitle" (print  (index .Site.Data.products $product).altname " Documentation") }}
+  {{ with (index .Site.Data.products $product).altname }}
+    {{ $scratch.Set "siteTitle" (print . " Documentation") }}
   {{ else }}
-    {{ $scratch.Set "siteTitle" (print  (index .Site.Data.products $product).name " Documentation") }}
+    {{ $scratch.Set "siteTitle" (print (index $.Site.Data.products $product).name " Documentation") }}
   {{ end }}
 {{ end }}
 
diff --git a/layouts/partials/sidebar/nested-menu.html b/layouts/partials/sidebar/nested-menu.html
index feceb9ea8..0083b2a3e 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/sidebar/nested-menu.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/sidebar/nested-menu.html
@@ -4,37 +4,37 @@
 {{ range $menu }}
   <li class="nav-category {{ if eq $page.RelPermalink .URL }}active{{end}}">
     {{ if .HasChildren }}<a href="#" class="children-toggle {{ if or ($page.IsMenuCurrent .Menu .) ($page.HasMenuCurrent .Menu .) }}open{{end}}"></a>{{ end }}
-    <a href='{{ cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
+    <a href='{{ default .URL .Params.url }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
     {{ if .HasChildren }}
       <ul class="children {{ if or ($page.IsMenuCurrent .Menu .) ($page.HasMenuCurrent .Menu .) }}open{{end}}">
       {{ range .Children }}
         <li class="nav-item {{ if eq $page.RelPermalink .URL }}active{{end}}">
           {{ if .HasChildren }}<a href="#" class="children-toggle {{ if or ($page.IsMenuCurrent .Menu .) ($page.HasMenuCurrent .Menu .) }}open{{end}}"></a>{{ end }}
-          <a href='{{ cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
+          <a href='{{ default .URL .Params.url }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
           {{ if .HasChildren }}
             <ul class="children {{ if or ($page.IsMenuCurrent .Menu .) ($page.HasMenuCurrent .Menu .) }}open{{end}}">
             {{ range .Children }}
               <li class="nav-item {{ if eq $page.RelPermalink .URL }}active{{end}}">
                 {{ if .HasChildren }}<a href="#" class="children-toggle {{ if or ($page.IsMenuCurrent .Menu .) ($page.HasMenuCurrent .Menu .) }}open{{end}}"></a>{{ end }}
-                <a href='{{ cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
+                <a href='{{ default .URL .Params.url }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
                 {{ if .HasChildren }}
                   <ul class="children {{ if or ($page.IsMenuCurrent .Menu .) ($page.HasMenuCurrent .Menu .) }}open{{end}}">
                   {{ range .Children }}
                     <li class="nav-item {{ if eq $page.RelPermalink .URL }}active{{end}}">
                       {{ if .HasChildren }}<a href="#" class="children-toggle {{ if or ($page.IsMenuCurrent .Menu .) ($page.HasMenuCurrent .Menu .) }}open{{end}}"></a>{{ end }}
-                      <a href='{{ cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
+                      <a href='{{ default .URL .Params.url }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
                       {{ if .HasChildren }}
                         <ul class="children {{ if or ($page.IsMenuCurrent .Menu .) ($page.HasMenuCurrent .Menu .) }}open{{end}}">
                         {{ range .Children }}
                           <li class="nav-item {{ if eq $page.RelPermalink .URL }}active{{end}}">
                             {{ if .HasChildren }}<a href="#" class="children-toggle {{ if or ($page.IsMenuCurrent .Menu .) ($page.HasMenuCurrent .Menu .) }}open{{end}}"></a>{{ end }}
-                            <a href='{{ cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
+                            <a href='{{ default .URL .Params.url }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
                             {{ if .HasChildren }}
                               <ul class="children {{ if or ($page.IsMenuCurrent .Menu .) ($page.HasMenuCurrent .Menu .) }}open{{end}}">
                               {{ range .Children }}
                                 <li class="nav-item {{ if eq $page.RelPermalink .URL }}active{{end}}">
                                   {{ if .HasChildren }}<a href="#" class="children-toggle {{ if or ($page.IsMenuCurrent .Menu .) ($page.HasMenuCurrent .Menu .) }}open{{end}}"></a>{{ end }}
-                                  <a href='{{ cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
+                                  <a href='{{ default .URL .Params.url }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
 
                                   <!-- Begin nested block -->
                                   {{ if .HasChildren }}
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
                                     {{ range .Children }}
                                       <li class="nav-item {{ if eq $page.RelPermalink .URL }}active{{end}}">
                                         {{ if .HasChildren }}<a href="#" class="children-toggle {{ if or ($page.IsMenuCurrent .Menu .) ($page.HasMenuCurrent .Menu .) }}open{{end}}"></a>{{ end }}
-                                        <a href='{{ cond (isset .Params "url") .Params.url .URL }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
+                                        <a href='{{ default .URL .Params.url }}'>{{ .Name }}</a>
                                         <!-- To add more nested layers, copy the nested block and paste it here -->
                                       </li>
                                     {{ end }}
diff --git a/layouts/shortcodes/children.html b/layouts/shortcodes/children.html
index 58a57fd1f..1bea94f94 100644
--- a/layouts/shortcodes/children.html
+++ b/layouts/shortcodes/children.html
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@
 {{ if eq $type "articles" }}
 	<div class="children-links">
 		{{ range $pages.ByWeight }}
-			{{ $title := cond ( isset .Params "list_title" ) (.Params.list_title | .RenderString) (.Title | .RenderString) }}
-			{{ $url := cond ( isset .Params "external_url" ) .Params.external_url .RelPermalink }}
-			{{ $target := cond ( isset .Params "external_url" ) "_blank" "" }}
+			{{ $title := default .Title .Params.list_title | .RenderString }}
+			{{ $url := default .RelPermalink .Params.external_url }}
+			{{ $target := cond (ne .Params.external_url nil) "_blank" "" }}
 			{{ if eq $hlevel "h2"}} <h2 id="{{ anchorize $title }}"><a href="{{ $url }}" target="{{ $target }}">{{ $title }}</a></h2>
 			{{ else if eq $hlevel "h3"}} <h3 id="{{ anchorize $title }}"><a href="{{ $url }}" target="{{ $target }}">{{ $title }}</a></h3>
 			{{ else if eq $hlevel "h4"}} <h4 id="{{ anchorize $title }}"><a href="{{ $url }}" target="{{ $target }}">{{ $title }}</a></h4>
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
 				{{ end }}
 			{{ end }}
 
-			{{ if and (eq $readMore true) ( or (isset .Params "list_query_example") (isset .Params "list_code_example") ) }}
+			{{ if and (eq $readMore true) (or .Params.list_query_example .Params.list_code_example) }}
 				<p class="read-more"><a href="{{ $url }}" target="{{ $target }}">Read more <span class="icon-chevron-right"></span></a></p>
 			{{ end }}
 			{{ if eq $hr true }}
@@ -94,10 +94,10 @@
 	<div class="children-links">
 		<ul>
 		{{ range $pages.ByWeight }}
-			{{ $title := cond ( isset .Params "list_title" ) (.Params.list_title | .RenderString) (.Title | .RenderString) }}
-		  {{ $url := cond ( isset .Params "external_url" ) .Params.external_url .RelPermalink }}
-			{{ $target := cond ( isset .Params "external_url" ) "_blank" "" }}
-			{{ $note := cond ( isset .Params "list_note" ) (print "<span class='list-note'>" .Params.list_note "</span>") "" }}
+			{{ $title := default .Title .Params.list_title | .RenderString }}
+		  {{ $url := default .RelPermalink .Params.external_url }}
+			{{ $target := cond (ne .Params.external_url nil) "_blank" "" }}
+			{{ $note := cond (ne .Params.list_note nil) (print "<span class='list-note'>" .Params.list_note "</span>") "" }}
 			<li><a href="{{ $url }}" target="{{ $target }}">{{ $title }}</a> {{ $note | markdownify }}</li>
 		{{ end }}
 		</ul>
@@ -108,10 +108,10 @@
 	<div class="children-links">
 		<ol>
 		{{ range $pages.ByWeight }}
-			{{ $title := cond ( isset .Params "list_title" ) (.Params.list_title | .RenderString) (.Title | .RenderString)}}
-		  {{ $url := cond ( isset .Params "external_url" ) .Params.external_url .RelPermalink }}
-			{{ $target := cond ( isset .Params "external_url" ) "_blank" "" }}
-			{{ $note := cond ( isset .Params "list_note" ) (print "<span class='list-note'>" .Params.list_note "</span>") "" }}
+			{{ $title := default .Title .Params.list_title | .RenderString}}
+		  {{ $url := default .RelPermalink .Params.external_url }}
+			{{ $target := cond (ne .Params.external_url nil) "_blank" "" }}
+			{{ $note := cond (ne .Params.list_note nil) (print "<span class='list-note'>" .Params.list_note "</span>") "" }}
 			<li><a href="{{ $url }}" target="{{ $target }}">{{ $title }}</a> {{ $note | markdownify }}</li>
 		{{ end }}
 		</ol>
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
 
 	<ul class="children-list">
 	{{ range $pages.ByWeight }}
-		{{ $title := cond ( isset .Params "list_title" ) (.Params.list_title | .RenderString) (.Title | .RenderString) }}
+		{{ $title := default .Title .Params.list_title | .RenderString }}
 		<li><a href="#{{ anchorize $title }}">{{ $title }}</a></li>
 	{{ end }}
 	</ul>
diff --git a/layouts/shortcodes/icon.html b/layouts/shortcodes/icon.html
index 31da61945..1a386cc68 100644
--- a/layouts/shortcodes/icon.html
+++ b/layouts/shortcodes/icon.html
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@
 {{- $productPathData := findRE "[^/]+.*?" .Page.RelPermalink -}}
 {{- $product := index $productPathData 0 -}}
 {{- $productVersion := index $productPathData 1 | default "v0.0" -}}
-{{- $defaultClockface := cond (isset (index .Site.Data.clockface $product) $productVersion)  (index (index .Site.Data.clockface $product) $productVersion) (index (index .Site.Data.clockface $product) "default") }}
+
+{{- $defaultClockface := "" -}}
+{{- with (index .Site.Data.clockface $product) -}}
+  {{- $defaultClockface = index . (cond (isset . $productVersion) $productVersion "default") -}}
+{{- end -}}
 {{- $version := .Get 1 | default $defaultClockface -}}
 
 {{- if eq $version "v2" -}}
diff --git a/layouts/shortcodes/nav-icon.html b/layouts/shortcodes/nav-icon.html
index e81bfaef5..8b794b030 100644
--- a/layouts/shortcodes/nav-icon.html
+++ b/layouts/shortcodes/nav-icon.html
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@
 {{- $productPathData := findRE "[^/]+.*?" .Page.RelPermalink -}}
 {{- $product := index $productPathData 0 -}}
 {{- $productVersion := index $productPathData 1 | default "v0" -}}
-{{- $defaultClockface := cond (isset (index .Site.Data.clockface $product) $productVersion)  (index (index .Site.Data.clockface $product) $productVersion) (index (index .Site.Data.clockface $product) "default") }}
+{{- $defaultClockface := "" -}}
+{{- with (index .Site.Data.clockface $product) -}}
+  {{- $defaultClockface = default (index . "default") (index . $productVersion) -}}
+{{- end -}}
 {{- $version := .Get 1 | default $defaultClockface -}}
 
 {{ if eq $version "v2" }}