11ty Netlify Jumpstart

11ty Netlify Jumpstart is a GitHub template for launching an Eleventy (11ty) static site quickly, with a minimal Sass framework, generated sitemap and RSS feed. Created by Stephanie Eckles, the template targets developers who want a pre-configured Eleventy setup that deploys cleanly to Netlify.

What is 11ty Netlify Jumpstart?

11ty Netlify Jumpstart is a starter template that copies a complete Eleventy project into a new GitHub repository via the "Generate a repo from this template" feature. It takes content added to the src directory and produces a static site with minified, autoprefixed CSS and social preview images. The project uses Eleventy as the static site generator and includes a minimal Sass framework built for quick theme customization. The template is maintained by Stephanie Eckles (5t3ph) and is distributed freely on GitHub.

Key Features

• Minimal Sass framework — a lightweight styling layer derived from html-sass-jumpstart, with theme variables that let you change colors and other design tokens in one place.
• Generated sitemap — produces sitemap.xml automatically during the build, helping search engines index your pages.
• RSS feed — generates an RSS feed from your content so visitors can subscribe.
• Social preview image generation — the production build creates social preview images alongside your HTML output.
• Hot-reload development server — npm start runs Eleventy in watch mode at localhost:8080 with automatic reload.
• Production build — npm run build produces minified and autoprefixed CSS, plus the social preview images, ready to deploy.
• Configurable metadata — edit src/_data/meta.js to set your site name, description, and other global values.
• Nunjucks templates — the home page is built with index.njk, and you can add content in any templating format Eleventy supports.

Who is it for?

• Eleventy developers who want a pre-configured project with common features like sitemap and RSS already set up.
• Bloggers looking for a lightweight static blogging platform that outputs an RSS feed and sitemap without manual plugin setup.
• Netlify users who want a one-click template that generates a repo and includes a build script ready for Netlify's publish command.
• Designers who like to customize Sass variables to create a unique theme quickly.

What can you do with 11ty Netlify Jumpstart?

• Launch a content site: generate a repo from the template, edit the metadata and home page, then deploy to Netlify with the provided build command.
• Build a blog: leverage the built-in RSS feed and sitemap to publish posts that are immediately discoverable.
• Customize the design: use the included Sass theme variables to match the site to your brand.

How does 11ty Netlify Jumpstart work?

1. Generate a new repository from the GitHub template.
2. Clone the repo and run npm install to install Eleventy and dependencies.
3. Run npm start for local development with hot reload at localhost:8080.
4. Edit src/_data/meta.js with your site details.
5. Modify src/index.njk for the home page and add content in _pages.
6. Run npm run build for a production build, and use the output as your deploy folder.

FAQ

Is Netlify hosting required?

No, Netlify hosting is not required, but it is highly recommended and the build process is set up to run on Netlify.

What does the production build include?

The production build (npm run build) includes minified, autoprefixed CSS and social preview image generation, along with the generated static site.

What changed in version 2?

Version 2 removed social media images and stylelint, and now uses the @11tyrocks/eleventy-plugin-sass-lightningcss package for Sass processing.