Eleventy (11ty)

Simple, flexible static site generator that transforms templates and Markdown into fast static HTML.

• Official Website: 11ty.dev
• Category: Static Site Generators
• Type: Zero-Config Static Site Generator
• Pricing / License: Open Source (MIT)

Overview

Eleventy (11ty) is a simpler, JavaScript-based static site generator that operates without framework client-side bloat. It does not force you to adopt client-side frameworks; instead, it parses templates (HTML, Markdown, Nunjucks, Liquid, WebC) and compiles them into static HTML.

It is renowned for its speed, simplicity, and flexibility, making it a favorite among web standards purists.

Key Highlights & Features

• Zero Client-Side JavaScript: Outputs clean static HTML files without framework overhead.
• Multiple Template Engines: Mix and match Markdown, Nunjucks, Liquid, and HTML seamlessly.
• Blazing Build Speeds: Rapid local development reload times.
• Independent Data Directory: Feed content from local JSON/JS files or remote APIs.

How It Works with Static Websites

Run Eleventy with npx:

# Create sample file
echo "# Hello World from Eleventy" > index.md

# Run Eleventy development server
npx @11ty/eleventy --serve

# Build static output to _site/
npx @11ty/eleventy

When to Use It

• Personal blogs, documentation, and simple multi-page websites.
• Web developers who want to write standard HTML and CSS without framework compilation.
• Fast, dependency-light static generation.