Jekyll is a static site generator that allows you to create a full-featured website using only markdown files - and a few config/HTML files. It is primarily designed for blogs and documentation sites, but like other modern-day technologies, it can be used for other purposes as well. Jekyll is typically hosted on GitHub Pages, for open-source projects.

Static vs Dynamic

Static sites are simply HTML files that are served to a client. It is primarily used for blogs and documentation sites, or any other project where data does not need to be updated regularly. It is straightforward to develop, deploy, and manage. There are tools that allow you to create static sites without any programming knowledge - that’s Jekyll.

Dynamic sites, on the other hand, are websites that are generated by a server-side scripting language. Dynamic sites are complex and require a server to be set up and maintained. It is typically used for websites that require dynamic content, such as e-commerce sites or social media platforms.

Evaluating the Pros and Cons

Static sites have various advantages that mostly cater to projects which “just works” - without the overcomplication of the notoriously complex JavaScript web frameworks and countless other tools. It requires minimal setup and maintenance, easy to deploy and manage, and can be simplified further using Jekyll and GitHub Pages. The downside is static websites tend to be simpler and less technical than dynamic sites. If your project requires data-driven contents for analytics, feeds, and etc, dynamic sites are the way to go.

When to use Jekyll (static)

Since most of my websites are static, and dead simple, I prefer to write markdown files and use Jekyll - this post serves as an example. Some markdown files, perhaps pick a theme, and that’s really it. GitHub Pages hosts and deploys the site for me, it updates whenever I push, and it is completely free.

Simplicity

As mentioned earlier, Jekyll is simple to use and deploy - mostly due to the integration with GitHub Pages, I would say its an unfair advantage. Did you know that actually Jekyll requires you to write some Ruby code and build the site locally before deploying it to a server? You probably don’t. This website, Propulsion MD, is built without any Ruby code and it is still functional and looking great.

Jekyll Themes

Another feature that further simplified the process of building websites using Jekyll is the availability of themes. Create HTML files inside the _layouts folder, add the name of the layout on the front matter of your markdown file, and it will be rendered as the layout intended. Good news is, thanks to open-source and community-driven efforts, there are a lot of themes available for Jekyll - so you don’t have to write any HTML or CSS. You can find a list of themes that are available for free and open-source, here.

Conclusion

Jekyll is a great tool for creating static websites. It is simple to use, has a large community, and is free to use. It is also easy to deploy and manage, and it is a great choice for those who want to create a website without having to learn a new programming language.

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Thank you for your time! For any questions, feedbacks, or suggestions, please reach me out via the links found on my website. All the content on this post is written by me, and all the opinions expressed are my own. AI, LLMs