Windty is an Eleventy (11ty) and Tailwind CSS starter template that ships with a GitHub Actions workflow for publishing to GitHub Pages. The template is intentionally minimal: it wires together a static site generator, a utility-first CSS framework, and automated deployment so you can start building a static website immediately.
What is Windty?
Windty is a basic starter template for building static websites with the Eleventy static site generator and Tailwind CSS. It is designed to be used as a GitHub template repository: you create a new repository from the template (or clone it), install dependencies with npm install, and run local development with npm start. The template's main output is a static HTML site that can be deployed to GitHub Pages via the included GitHub Actions workflow. It is maintained by distantcam on GitHub and has 52 stars at the time of this writing.
Key Features
- Eleventy (11ty) static site generator — Generates static HTML output from templates and content files, with no server-side runtime required.
- Tailwind CSS integration — Utility-first styling is preconfigured, so you can write HTML with Tailwind classes directly inside Eleventy templates.
- GitHub Pages deployment — A built-in GitHub Actions workflow builds the release version and publishes the output to GitHub Pages whenever you push to the repository.
- npm scripts —
npm startruns a local development server at http://localhost:8080, andnpm run buildproduces a production-ready static build. - Template repository support — You can click the "Use this template" button on GitHub to generate a new project with the same structure, or clone the repository directly.
- Minimal starting point — The description explicitly calls Windty "basic," so it focuses on the toolchain setup rather than shipping a full site design; you add your own pages, styles, and content.
Who is it for?
- Developers who want an Eleventy + Tailwind starter — They can clone or fork Windty and immediately start building a static site with both tools pre-wired and working together.
- Developers needing automated GitHub Pages publishing — Those who want their site published to GitHub Pages without manually running build commands will benefit from the included deployment action.
- Learners exploring static site generators — The minimal codebase, clear npm scripts, and small number of files make Windty a readable example of how 11ty and Tailwind fit into a static-site build pipeline.
What can you do with Windty?
- Launch a personal blog or portfolio site: Use the Eleventy setup to author pages and content, style them with Tailwind classes, then push to GitHub to have the site built and published.
- Prototype a landing page quickly: Run
npm start, edit templates in your editor, and see changes at http://localhost:8080 without configuring a backend or database. - Create a documentation or product site: Structure static pages with Eleventy templates, apply Tailwind for consistent styling, and rely on the workflow to deploy every push automatically.
How does Windty work?
The page lists a straightforward workflow: create a new repository from the template (or clone it), run npm install to install dependencies, run npm start to start the local dev server, visit http://localhost:8080 to preview, run npm run build to create a release build, and push to GitHub so the action builds and publishes the site to GitHub Pages. This sequence takes you from a blank repo to a deployed static website with minimal manual steps.
FAQ
Does Windty require a paid service?
No. Windty is a GitHub template repository that you can clone or use for free, and the included deployment workflow targets GitHub Pages, which is free for public repositories. No paid services or accounts are mentioned in the template's setup instructions.
What does npm start do?
npm start runs a local development server for the Eleventy site, which you can view at http://localhost:8080 in your browser. This command is defined in the project's package.json scripts and is the intended way to preview changes while developing.
How does Windty deploy to GitHub Pages?
When you push code to GitHub, the included GitHub Actions workflow (referred to as "the action") runs npm run build and publishes the resulting static files to GitHub Pages. This automates the deployment process and is part of the template's default configuration.
Is Windty a full site or a starter?
Windty is explicitly described as a "basic template." It provides the toolchain — Eleventy, Tailwind, and a GitHub Actions deployment workflow — rather than a complete site design, so you build out your own pages and content while relying on the preconfigured build and deploy pipeline.
