Rocket11ty is an Eleventy (11ty) blog starter template that packages a JAMstack blog with PWA support, a Netlify-ready contact form, NetlifyCMS, and automatic SEO.
What is Rocket11ty?
Rocket11ty is a free blog starter template built with Eleventy, the static site generator often written as 11ty. It takes Markdown content and produces a static blog with an RSS feed, sitemap, and installable PWA support. The template is hosted on GitHub under the account aboutDavid and includes one-click deploy buttons for Netlify and a remix option for Glitch.
Key Features
- Automatic caching — Credit: @khalby786, implemented to speed up repeated visits.
- PWA support — Your blog becomes installable like an app on mobile devices.
- Mobile-friendly design — Responsive layout out of the box.
- Light and dark theme — Provided by Halfmoon CSS framework, togglable.
- Working contact form — Works out of the box on Netlify; can be adapted to Pageclip.
- Automatic SEO — Includes a sitemap and RSS feed generation.
- NetlifyCMS — Manage blog content through a CMS interface, only when deployed on Netlify.
- JAMstack architecture — Static files ready to serve on a CDN like Netlify, unlike server-rendered WordPress.
These features come from a mix of custom code and the official Eleventy Base Blog template, which contributed the blog system, sitemap, and RSS feed logic.
Who is it for?
- Indie bloggers who want a fast static blog with modern conveniences like PWA and a CMS without paying for hosting.
- Developers learning Eleventy who want a starter that already has caching, SEO, and theming wired up.
- Netlify users who want a one-click deployable blog with NetlifyCMS and a functioning contact form.
- Portfolio site owners who need a minimal blog section with dark mode.
What can you do with Rocket11ty?
- Deploy a blog to Netlify — Use the Deploy to Netlify button to get a live site with NetlifyCMS and the contact form functional immediately.
- Remix on Glitch — Edit and prototype the template in the browser via Glitch without local setup.
- Customize the theme — Switch between light and dark modes powered by Halfmoon, then adjust the layout as needed.
- Publish posts in Markdown — Write posts as Markdown files and let Eleventy generate the static pages plus RSS feed automatically.
FAQ
Is Rocket11ty free?
Yes, the template is open source on GitHub. Deploying to Netlify also has a free tier, so you can run the blog at zero cost.
Does the contact form work on any host?
No, the included form works only on Netlify. The page notes it can be adapted to work with Pageclip for other hosting environments.
Can I use NetlifyCMS on Glitch?
NetlifyCMS is only supported when the blog is deployed on Netlify, according to the template documentation.
What static site generator does Rocket11ty use?
It uses Eleventy (11ty), a flexible static site generator. The blog system, sitemap, and RSS feed are taken from the official Eleventy Base Blog template.
