Gatsby vs. Eleventy
By SW Habitation
Gatsby
Eleventy
Have you ever been to a website that loads super fast? Chances are it uses an SSG (Static Site Generator). It’s a tool that builds your site ahead of time, so when someone visits, they get the page instantly. No waiting around for things to load it’s just there.
What is Gatsby?
Gatsby is a React-based static site generator that combines the best of modern web development just like GraphQL, fast performance, and a rich plugin ecosystem to help you build static websites that feel dynamic.
It pulls in data from almost any source (APIs, CMSs, Markdown files) and serves it as blazing-fast static pages.
Key Features of Gatsby
- Optimized Performance: Automatically optimizes images and code splitting.
- Rich Plugin Ecosystem: Extend functionality effortlessly with plugins.
- SEO-Friendly: Pre-renders pages for great search engine optimization.
- PWA Support: Turn your site into a Progressive Web App with ease.
- GraphQL Data Layer: Fetch data from multiple sources seamlessly.
- Hot Reloading: Instant feedback during development.
- React-Powered: Leverages React for building UI components.
Advantages of Gatsby
- Great for Complex Sites: Handles large datasets and complex content structures well.
- Thriving Ecosystem: Tons of plugins and themes to speed up development.
- Data Agnostic: Pull data from anywhere — headless CMSs, APIs, or Markdown.
- Fast Performance: Optimizes everything out of the box.
- React Integration: Perfect if you’re already familiar with React.
Disadvantages of Gatsby
- Overkill for Simple Sites: Might be too much if all you need is a basic static site.
- Build Times: Can get slow with very large datasets.
- Learning Curve: Requires knowledge of React and GraphQL.
What is Eleventy ?
Eleventy is a static site generator that takes your content whether it’s Markdown, HTML, or other template languages and compiles it into static HTML files.
Unlike some other SSGs, Eleventy doesn’t lock you into a specific front-end framework, giving you the freedom to structure your project however you like. It’s designed to be simple, flexible, and fast, making it a favorite among web developers who appreciate minimalism.
Key Features of Eleventy
- Community Support: Growing community with tons of plugins and resources.
- Great for SEO: Generates static HTML, making your site search engine-friendly.
- Multiple Template Languages: Supports Markdown, Nunjucks, Liquid, Pug, and more.
- Fast Builds: Optimized for performance with lightning-fast build times.
- Simple Configuration: No complex setup — just a simple .eleventy.js config file.
- Flexible Data Handling: Use front matter, JSON, or JavaScript to handle data.
- No JavaScript Framework Required: Works with plain HTML and CSS if you prefer.
Advantages of Eleventy
- Lightweight: No heavy dependencies or boilerplate code.
- Fast and SEO-Friendly: Static HTML means quick load times and great SEO.
- Simplicity: No need to overthink just build.
- Ideal for Content-Driven Sites: Perfect for blogs, portfolios, and documentation.
- Flexible Content: Use different templating languages in one project.
Disadvantages of Eleventy
- Limited Out-of-the-Box Features: Requires plugins for things like image optimisation or RSS feeds.
- Minimal Abstractions: No built-in state management — you handle everything yourself.
- Learning Curve: Understanding its flexibility takes a bit of time.
Comparison Between Gatsby vs Eleventy
Use Cases of Gatsby
- Large Data-Driven Sites: Great at handling large datasets from APIs or CMSs.
- SEO-Optimized Sites: Pre-renders pages for better SEO performance.
- E-Commerce: Integrates seamlessly with Shopify, Stripe, and other tools.
- Progressive Web Apps (PWAs): Built-in support for PWAs.
- Content-Driven Sites: Blogs, portfolios, documentation sites.
Use Cases of Eleventy
- Personal Blogs and Portfolios: Simple content-focused sites.
- SEO-Friendly Sites: Static HTML means better indexing by search engines.
- Documentation Sites: Great for organising and presenting technical documentation.
- Minimalist Projects: Ideal when you want full control with minimal abstraction.
Conclusion
Static Site Generators are a big game changer if you’re looking to build a website that’s fast, secure, and easy to maintain. Whether you’re launching a personal blog, portfolio, or a business website, they give you the freedom to focus on what really matters, your content and your users without all the extra complexity.
The best part? You’re not locked into one way of doing things. You can choose the tools and tech you’re most comfortable with, and scale things up as your site grows. From lightning-fast load times to better SEO and easy hosting, SSGs make the whole process smoother.
At the end of the day, it comes down to what fits your workflow and goals best. Pick the one that feels right to your requirements, and you’ll be well on your way to creating a beautiful, high-performing website that you’re proud of 🙌
Frequently asked questions
Is Gatsby SEO-friendly?
Yes, Gatsby provides out-of-the-box features like optimized images, clean URLs, and fast load times—all essential for SEO performance.
Is Gatsby hard to set up?
Not at all, Gatsby has nice documentation and many starter templates, making it easy to get started, even if you’re new to React.
Can I use GraphQL with Gatsby?
Yes, Gatsby has a built-in GraphQL layer, allowing you to query and manage your content and data in a flexible way.
Does Gatsby use React?
Yes, Gatsby is built on React, with the added benefit of GraphQL to pull in data from various sources CMSs, APIs, files, etc.
Is Eleventy fast?
Yes very fast, Eleventy is known for its quick build times and low overhead, making it perfect for fast static websites.
Does Eleventy have built-in data handling?
Yes, Eleventy handles data from JSON, YAML, Markdown, and more, which can be injected directly into your templates.
Is Eleventy SEO-friendly?
Yes, Eleventy outputs clean HTML with customizable metadata, so you can fine-tune your SEO strategy easily.
Does Eleventy support multiple templates?
Yes, Eleventy is template agnostic means you can use Nunjucks, Liquid, Markdown, Pug, and more.
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By SW Habitation