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11ty vs Jekyll: What are the differences?
11ty and Jekyll are popular static site generators used by web developers to build websites. While they have similarities in terms of their purpose and functionality, there are key differences between the two.
1. Templating Language: 11ty uses JavaScript templating languages like Nunjucks, Handlebars, and Liquid, giving developers more flexibility and options to work with. On the other hand, Jekyll uses the Liquid templating language, which is simpler and easier to learn for beginners.
2. Build Time: When it comes to build time, 11ty is faster compared to Jekyll. This is because 11ty recompiles only the specific pages being updated, while Jekyll regenerates the entire site every time there is a change. This makes 11ty more efficient for larger sites with frequent updates.
3. Configuration: Jekyll requires a YAML configuration file to set up the site's global settings, whereas 11ty provides more flexibility by allowing developers to configure the site using JavaScript files. This makes it easier for developers who are more comfortable working with JavaScript.
4. Content Organization: Jekyll organizes content using collections and data files, making it well-suited for blog-like websites. In contrast, 11ty provides a more generic approach, giving developers the freedom to structure and organize their content according to their specific needs.
5. Plugin Ecosystem: Jekyll has a robust plugin ecosystem that offers a wide range of functionalities to enhance the site's capabilities. 11ty, on the other hand, has a smaller plugin ecosystem but allows developers to leverage existing JavaScript libraries and tools to extend its functionality.
6. Data Sources: Jekyll relies heavily on content files to generate the site, with limited support for other data sources. 11ty, on the other hand, provides more flexibility by allowing developers to pull data from various sources like APIs, databases, and CMS, making it suitable for dynamic websites.
In summary, 11ty and Jekyll differ in their templating languages, build time efficiency, configuration approach, content organization, plugin ecosystem, and support for data sources. These differences make each static site generator suitable for different use cases and developers with varying preferences and requirements.
As a Frontend Developer I wanted something simple to generate static websites with technology I am familiar with. GatsbyJS was in the stack I am familiar with, does not need any other languages / package managers and allows quick content deployment in pure HTML
or Markdown
(what you prefer for a project). It also does not require you to understand a theming engine if you need a custom design.
Pros of 11ty
- Flexibility on choosing template4
- Great use of data files/sources3
- Flexible, allows progressive conversion of templates3
- Content decoupled as much as possible from Eleventy3
- Zero boilerplate client-side JavaScript2
Pros of Jekyll
- Github pages integration74
- Open source54
- It's slick, customisable and hackerish37
- Easy to deploy24
- Straightforward cms for the hacker mindset23
- Gitlab pages integration7
- Best for blogging5
- Low maintenance2
- Easy to integrate localization2
- Huge plugins ecosystem1
- Authoring freedom and simplicity1
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Cons of 11ty
Cons of Jekyll
- Build time increases exponentially as site grows4
- Lack of developments lately2
- Og doesn't work with postings dynamically1