The End of Eleventy
brennan.day
April 12, 2026
11 min read
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59/100
Summary
The Kickstarter for Build Awesome and Build Awesome Pro has been launched by the Font Awesome team, successfully reaching its $40,000 funding goal in one day. Build Awesome represents a rebranding of the 11ty/Eleventy project, which has been put on hold after the original Kickstarter was cancelled due to communication issues.
Key Takeaways
- The Kickstarter for Build Awesome, a rebranding of Eleventy, has reached its funding goal of $40,000 within a single day.
- Eleventy, a static site generator created by Zach Leatherman, is being transitioned to Build Awesome under the Font Awesome team.
- Eleventy has been widely adopted by organizations such as NASA, CERN, Google, and Mozilla for its flexibility and support for multiple templating engines.
- The original Eleventy project is being discontinued as it evolves into Build Awesome, which aims to serve as an all-in-one site builder.
Community Sentiment
Positives
- Using local LLMs to generate HTML from markdown files can simplify the process, reducing reliance on SSGs and allowing for more straightforward content management.
- Astro's documentation is praised for being accessible and providing clear examples, making it easier for developers to implement features without guesswork.
- Static site generators like Eleventy can still function effectively without new features, ensuring long-term stability for websites.
- The ability to use simple markdown files with Astro leads to simpler projects that are easier to maintain over time.
Concerns
- The complexity of SSGs often leads to frustration, as users face challenges with themes, customization, and cloud-side build systems.
- Many users find the documentation for Eleventy confusing, which can hinder effective use and lead to a negative experience.
- Switching from WordPress to a static site generator can disrupt established workflows, particularly for non-technical users who rely on GUI interfaces.
