11ty is a Static Site Generator that takes normal and easy to read markdown and turns it into browser renderable html
No server and cant be put up on github pages a static free site hoster
In truth its quite simple.
echo "# Hello, World" >> index.md && elventy --serve
Just standard github markdown.
A blog for me may look like this:
---
title: Blog Post name!
tags: blog
favicon: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/3D_Mars.png?20150725174645
layout: base.njk
author: Martian
date: 2025-07-18
---
this is the header it tells 11ty info about the file. It spits out a valid webite,
but hey! whats this:
---
layout: base.njk
---
that is by base template that i use for this site. It tells the site how to render. it gives it a place to look at and go "huh, thats what that needs to look like"
Sure there are other SSG's similar too 11ty but none that beats its speed and ease of use. Many will tell you that "you have to write js!" no. no you dont.