Greetings, dear readers! I want to share my experience with Jekyll, a robust static site generator.
Why Jekyll?
In search of a blogging platform, I found a gem in Jekyll that beautifully marries simplicity and functionality. And I setup my first blog with Jekyll.
Simplicity and Static Sites
Jekyll puts content at the forefront. It offers a minimalist, distraction-free environment, allowing users to concentrate on delivering value through their posts. It generates static websites, leading to faster load times, heightened security, and easy scalability.
GitHub Integration and Version Control
Jekyll’s seamless integration with GitHub Pages simplifies website deployment, turning it into a simple ‘git push’. Thanks to this, blogs reap all the benefits of Git’s version control, enhancing collaboration and content management.
Customization and Plugin Ecosystem
The customization freedom Jekyll grants is unparalleled. With direct access to HTML/CSS files and a broad selection of plugins, tailoring my blog’s design and functionality is effortless.
Markdown Support
Jekyll supports Markdown, a writing syntax that prioritizes readability and ease of use. Writing posts becomes as straightforward as jotting down a text document.
Low Cost and No Database
Jekyll’s static nature often translates to cheaper hosting costs, making it budget-friendly. Being file-based, it avoids the need for a database, reducing potential points of failure.
SEO-friendly
With Jekyll, blogs get a boost in web visibility. The platform’s structure and the availability of SEO plugins make optimizing for search engines a cinch.
Why Jekyll Over Other Platforms?
One has to give special mention to Jekyll’s Maturity, Popularity, and Simplicity.
While considering platforms like Hugo, Hexo, 11ty, and Gatsby, I found Jekyll’s simplicity and GitHub integration to be more beneficial.
For instance, though Hugo is fast, the convenience of Jekyll’s GitHub integration is unbeatable. Hexo requires Node.js knowledge, while Jekyll operates in a more accessible Ruby environment. When comparing with 11ty, Jekyll’s larger ecosystem offers more resources. Lastly, Jekyll is more straightforward for static sites than Gatsby, which can have hefty configuration needs.
The Non-JS Dev’s Love for Jekyll
Not being a JavaScript developer, I found Jekyll’s Ruby-based environment more accessible. And yet, one doesn’t need to know Ruby to use Jekyll. Its support for Markdown makes content creation intuitive and easy.
The Ease of Blogging with Jekyll
Jekyll simplifies blogging in many ways: static content boosts performance and security, GitHub integration streamlines deployment, and extensive customization capabilities are at your fingertips.
All in all, Jekyll is a fantastic platform for blogging. It’s simple, fast, and secure, with a robust ecosystem and a vibrant community. I’m excited to see what I can build with Jekyll, and I hope you are too!
Update
I moved from Jekyll to Astro and I love it. I’ll soon cover why.
Happy blogging!