Getting Started with Eleventy

Eleventy is a modern static site generator that makes building fast, flexible websites easy. Let's explore why it's becoming popular among developers.

What is Eleventy?

Eleventy (11ty) is a simpler static site generator that transforms template files into a fully functional website. Unlike traditional frameworks, it doesn't require complex build configurations.

Why Choose Eleventy?

Zero-Config Philosophy: Eleventy works right out of the box without extensive configuration. You can start with a simple template and gradually add complexity as needed.

Flexible Templates: Support for multiple template languages:

  • Markdown for content
  • Nunjucks for layouts
  • HTML for static files
  • And more!

Fast Performance: Generates static HTML, resulting in incredibly fast websites that don't need server-side processing.

Flexible Output: Control exactly how your content is organized and output, perfect for blogs, documentation, portfolios, and more.

Key Concepts

Collections: Group related content together. A blog post collection automatically gathers all blog posts for list pages.

Filters: Transform data in templates. Example: Invalid Date converts a date object to a human-readable format.

Layouts: Reusable templates that wrap your content. Use a base layout for all pages, then specialized layouts for specific content types.

Getting Started in 4 Steps

  1. Install Node.js - Download from nodejs.org
  2. Create a project - mkdir my-site && cd my-site
  3. Install Eleventy - npm install --save-dev @11ty/eleventy
  4. Build - npx eleventy generates your static files

Conclusion

Eleventy proves that you don't need complex frameworks to build amazing websites. Its flexibility, performance, and developer experience make it an excellent choice for projects of any size.

Start building with Eleventy today and experience the joy of fast, simple web development!