Building a fast and efficient static website has never been easier, thanks to the Eleventy Web Starter template. This opinionated starter kit offers a plethora of features tailored for modern web development, ensuring you can kick off your project without a hitch. Let’s dive into the steps for setting it up!

Features of Eleventy Web Starter

• Static Site Generator: Powered by Eleventy (11ty)
• Templating Support: Utilizing Nunjucks, Liquid, and Markdown
• Styling: Enhanced with SCSS for modular styling
• JavaScript: Bundled quickly with ESBuild
• Image Optimisation: Easily manage images using Eleventy plugins
• Live Reload: For a seamless development experience
• SEO and Social Sharing Metadata: Built-in optimizations
• Easy Deployment: Pre-configured for Netlify, Vercel, or GitHub Pages

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure that you have the following software installed on your machine:

• Node.js (v14+)
• npm or Yarn

Installation Steps

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/chrissy-dev/eleventy-web-starter.git

   cd eleventy-web-starter

2. Install Dependencies:

   npm install

   Or, if using Yarn:

   yarn install

Running Your Project

To start the local development server, use the following command:

npm run dev

This command does the following:

• Builds the project using Eleventy
• Watches for changes in source files
• Serves the project at http://localhost:8080
• Enables live reload for a smooth development experience

Building for Production

When you’re ready to create a production-ready build, simply run:

npm run build

The output will be stored in the dist folder, optimized and ready for deployment!

Project Structure

Here’s an overview of the core structure of this project:

eleventy-web-starter 
└── src                 # Source files for the project
    ├── _data           # Data files in JSON or JS format
    ├── _includes       # Reusable components
    ├── _layouts        # Reusable layouts
    ├── _assets         # Assets - JS, CSS (Tailwind)
└── .eleventy.js         # Eleventy configuration file
└── package.json         # Node dependencies and scripts
└── tailwind.config.js   # Tailwind Config
└── postcss.config.js    # PostCSS Config
└── README.md            # Project documentation

Deployment

This starter is optimized for deployment on popular static site hosts. Here’s how to deploy on different providers:

Deploying to Netlify

1. Click the button below to deploy to Netlify:
   
   
   
2. Configure the build settings:
• Build Command: npm run build
• Publish Directory: dist

Deploying to Vercel

1. Install the Vercel CLI if not already installed:

npm install -g vercel

2. Deploy using the Vercel CLI:

vercel

3. Follow the prompts to complete the deployment.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues while setting up or running your Eleventy web project, consider the following troubleshooting tips:

• Ensure you have Node.js and npm/Yarn installed and updated to the latest versions.
• If your local server is not running, double-check the commands you executed.
• Verify your build command and publish directory settings if deployment fails.

For more insights, updates, or to collaborate on AI development projects, stay connected with fxis.ai.

Conclusion

Setting up your static site using Eleventy Web Starter is a breeze, designed with modern web development practices in mind. With its powerful features and easy deployment options, you can focus on crafting beautiful content without the hassle of traditional development setups.

At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.