Eleventy
A simple static site generator that turns folders of templates into HTML pages.11ty/buildawesome
- Stars
- 20k
- Forks
- 592
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- JavaScript
- Last update
- 5 days ago
- Type
- Dev tool
What it is
Build Awesome (Eleventy) is a static site generator written in JavaScript. You give it a folder of templates in formats such as HTML, Markdown, Liquid or Nunjucks, and it produces plain HTML files that can be hosted anywhere. The README describes it as a simpler alternative to Jekyll, and says addons exist for formats like WebC, Sass, Vue, Svelte and TypeScript.
- Build a personal blog from Markdown files
- Generate a documentation site from a folder of templates
- Combine Nunjucks or Liquid templates with Sass styles in one build
Great for
- Developers who want a static site generator with a lighter setup than Jekyll
- People who already write Markdown or HTML templates and want them turned into a website
- JavaScript developers comfortable working with npm and Node.js projects
- Bloggers or documentation writers who want plain HTML output
Not ideal for
- Non-developers who want a point-and-click website builder, since the project is driven by the command line and templates
- People who need a dynamic server-side application with a database, because this tool produces static HTML files
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Node.js
Install as a dev dependency
npm install @awesome.me/buildawesome --save-dev - 2
Run it
- Install the package with npm as shown above
- Read the Getting Started guide at https://www.11ty.dev/docs/getting-started/
- Create a template file such as an HTML or Markdown page
- Run the build using the commands described in the official documentation
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use the plugin system described in the official docs to add formats or features
- Add addons such as Sass, Vue or TypeScript support for richer front ends
- Follow the official documentation at https://www.11ty.dev/docs/ for full configuration options
Downloads
Strengths
- Accepts several template languages, including HTML, Markdown, Liquid and Nunjucks
- Written in JavaScript and installable from npm
- Has an active test setup with CI and documentation linked from the README
Trade-offs
- The README is truncated here, so setup details beyond npm install are not covered in this entry
- Many addons are needed for formats beyond the core languages, which adds setup work
- Requires comfort with the command line and Node.js tooling
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| buildawesome (this) | 20k | Dev tool | intermediate | 5 days ago | Developers who want a static site generator with a lighter setup than Jekyll |
| jekyll | 51.7k | Dev tool | intermediate | 23 days ago | Developers who want a blog or simple website built from plain text files |
| vuepress | 22.7k | Dev tool | intermediate | 2.2 years ago | Developers with an existing VuePress v1 documentation site who need to keep it running |
| docsify | 31.6k | Dev tool | beginner | 4 days ago | Open-source maintainers who want a documentation site from existing Markdown files |
| gatsby | 55.9k | Framework | intermediate | 17 days ago | Developers building content-heavy sites such as blogs or documentation |
| hexo | 41.8k | Framework | intermediate | 10 days ago | Bloggers who want a fast static site they fully control |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.