The Eleventy (11ty) Blog Template is a minimalist, Jamstack blog starter built on the Eleventy static site generator, designed to turn Markdown posts into a fast, RSS-ready blog.
What is the Eleventy (11ty) Blog Template?
This template is a starting point for building a blog using Eleventy, a static site generator that runs on Node.js. It takes Markdown content files and compiles them into a static HTML website, complete with an RSS feed and a built-in theme. The template is published on GitHub under the repository Mihir-27/11ty-Blog-Template and is described by its author as "11ty template for your blog."
The template includes a minimalist design out of the box, so you don't need to start from scratch. It supports categorizing posts with tags and separates featured posts from regular ones. Because it's a static site generator, the output is plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — no server-side runtime is required, and the site can be hosted on any static hosting service.
Key Features
The template bundles the core tools a blog needs to publish content and keep readers updated.
- RSS Feed: The template generates an RSS feed automatically, allowing readers to subscribe to new posts.
- Minimalist Design: A clean, content-focused theme is included, so the blog looks polished without additional styling work.
- Featured Posts: You can mark posts as featured, and they are highlighted separately from the regular post list.
- Tag-based Categorization: Posts can be tagged, and Eleventy uses those tags to group related content and generate tag pages.
- Markdown Content: Blog posts are written in Markdown, making it easy to format text, add code blocks, and manage content in plain text files.
- Simple Installation: The template can be set up with three commands: git clone, npm install, and npm run start.
Who is it for?
This blog template suits developers, writers, and anyone who wants a lightweight static blog without a heavy framework.
- Developers who want a quick blog setup: With a few commands, you get a working blog that can be customized and deployed.
- Technical writers and bloggers: If you're comfortable writing in Markdown and want a static, pre-built blog, this template handles the build process for you.
- Jamstack enthusiasts: Anyone who prefers static site generators and wants a lighter alternative to CMS-driven sites.
What can you do with the Eleventy (11ty) Blog Template?
With this template, you can build and maintain a static blog with minimal initial setup.
- Write and publish blog posts: Create Markdown files in the content directory, and the template builds them into HTML pages served on your site.
- Create a portfolio or personal site: While it's designed for blogs, the minimalist layout can be adapted to showcase projects or a resume.
- Share posts via RSS: The built-in RSS feed lets you syndicate your content to feed readers and other platforms.
How does the template work?
The template runs on Eleventy, which reads a content directory containing Markdown files. Each Markdown file includes front matter with metadata like title, tags, and featured status. During the build, Eleventy processes these files with the included templates, generating static HTML pages and an RSS feed. To get started, clone the repository, run npm install to install dependencies, and run npm run start to launch a local development server.
Pricing
The template is free to use and can be cloned directly from its public GitHub repository; no paid tiers or subscriptions are mentioned.
Alternatives
Alternatives in the static site generator space include Hugo, a site generator written in Go; Astro, which ships zero JavaScript by default; and Gatsby, a React-based site generator.
FAQ
Here are quick answers to common questions about the Eleventy (11ty) Blog Template.
Is this template free?
Yes, the template is hosted publicly on GitHub and can be cloned at no cost. There are no paid tiers or licensing fees mentioned in the repository.
What static site generator does it use?
It uses Eleventy (often abbreviated as 11ty), a static site generator built on Node.js. Eleventy compiles Markdown and template files into a static HTML site.
Do I need to know HTML to write posts?
No. Blog posts are written in Markdown, so you can focus on content rather than HTML. However, customizing the theme's layout or styling will require some familiarity with HTML, CSS, and Eleventy's templating syntax.
How do I install the template?
The installation process involves three commands: git clone the repository, run npm install to install dependencies, and run npm run start to start a local development server. This is documented in the repository's README.
Can I host the generated blog on any static hosting service?
Yes. The build process outputs static HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files with no server-side dependencies, so you can deploy the generated site to any static host such as Netlify, Vercel, GitHub Pages, or an S3 bucket.
