Why I Migrated My Homepage From Next.js to Eleventy
Discover why I switched my homepage from Next.js to Eleventy, embracing open source, faster builds, and new opportunities to share content and services.
Why I Migrated My Homepage From Next.js to Eleventy
My homepage has evolved significantly over the years. I started the blog with Pelican back in 2014 — you can read my original post explaining that choice here: New Blog and Why Pelican. Pelican served me well for static content, but over time I wanted more modern tooling and flexibility, which led me to migrate to Next.js in November 2023.
Next.js: Promising, But Frustrating in Practice
Next.js seemed perfect at first: a modern React-based framework with static site generation and a large ecosystem of libraries. However, in practice it quickly became cumbersome. Every time I wanted to post a new article, I ran into broken libraries or unexpected issues. Fixing these problems often took more time than writing the content itself, making the workflow frustrating and slow.
Eleventy: Simple, Flexible, and Lightning-Fast
In 2026, after reading William Zujkowski’s post about building a digital garden with Eleventy (Building My Digital Garden with Eleventy), I decided to try Eleventy. It turned out to be exactly what I needed.
Eleventy generates plain static HTML with minimal tooling and zero unnecessary client-side JavaScript. The builds are incredibly fast — almost instantaneous — and posting new content is now effortless. There are no broken dependencies, no obscure library issues, just a clean, reliable workflow.
Considering Other Options: Hugo and Astro
I also considered Hugo, which is known for its speed, and Astro.build, a modern static site generator designed for performance and partial hydration. While both are excellent tools, I ultimately chose Eleventy because of its simplicity, flexibility, and ease of deployment on GitHub Pages. It allows me to mix Markdown, Nunjucks, Liquid, and plain HTML seamlessly, and the deployment process is extremely straightforward. For my goals, Eleventy was simply the most practical choice.
What This Means for My Homepage
Switching to Eleventy has revitalized how I maintain this blog. Publishing is now fast and reliable, and I can focus on writing instead of debugging. After Pelican (2014), Next.js (2023), and now Eleventy (2026), the site is faster, simpler, and more resilient than ever.
With this new setup, I also promise to write more frequently on a variety of topics, including GRC, cybersecurity, data privacy, regulations and standardization, AI, and many other areas that I am passionate about.
In addition, this website introduces a space where I can offer services as a contractor or freelancer. Whether it’s consulting, project support, or advisory work in these areas, I now have a platform to share my expertise and connect with clients.
Beyond improving my own blog, I now offer digital transformation advisory as a service to companies. I help organizations move away from vendor lock-in toward open source, flexible solutions that reduce dependency risks, improve long-term sustainability, and enable innovation. This service is informed by my experience with modern tools and practical implementation strategies, helping businesses modernize their digital operations efficiently.
Eleventy is the right tool for a content-focused blog: minimal, flexible, and lightning-fast — and with this new setup, it’s also a foundation for writing more, sharing more, offering more, and helping organizations embrace open source solutions through digital transformation.