Directus vs Eleventy

Directus and Eleventy are both popular options for managing content on websites. Directus is a headless CMS that offers a lot of flexibility and customization options, while Eleventy is a static site generator known for its simplicity and speed.

General information

Directus
Eleventy
Introduction :
Directus is a modern, open-source headless CMS that empowers users with a flexible and customizable content management system. Launched in 2014, Directus has gained popularity for its user-friendly interface, robust API capabilities, and ability to manage content across multiple platforms seamlessly. With its focus on flexibility and customization, Directus is a popular choice for developers and businesses looking for a versatile CMS solution.
Introduction :
Eleventy is a modern static site generator that is gaining popularity for its simplicity and flexibility. Launched in 2018, Eleventy is open source and allows users to build websites using various templating languages. It is known for its fast build times and ease of use, making it a popular choice for developers looking for a lightweight and customizable platform for their projects.
Advantages :
  • Easy to use interface
  • Open-source and customizable
  • RESTful API for flexibility
  • Scalable for small to large projects
  • Active community for support and updates
Advantages :
  • Simple setup and configuration process
  • Fast performance and build times
  • Flexible and customizable templating system
  • Built-in support for various template languages
  • Strong community support and active development
Disadvantages :
  • Limited third-party integrations
  • Steeper learning curve for beginners
  • Less user-friendly interface compared to others
  • Lack of built-in e-commerce functionality
  • Limited community support and resources
Disadvantages :
  • Limited built-in features compared to others
  • Steeper learning curve for beginners
  • Smaller community for support and resources
  • Less flexibility for customization and design
  • Limited third-party integrations and plugins
Website users : Thousands
Directus is used by thousands of websites worldwide, making it a popular choice for content management and data management needs.
Website users : Thousands
Eleventy is used by thousands of websites as a flexible and simple static site generator, popular among developers for its ease of use.
๐ŸŸก Difficulty : Average.
Getting started with Directus requires some technical knowledge, but the documentation and community support help ease the learning curve.
๐ŸŸก Difficulty : Average.
Getting started with Eleventy requires basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Some learning curve involved for beginners.
Year launched : 2015
Directus was launched in 2015, making it a relatively newer option compared to other content management systems.
Year launched : 2013
Eleventy was launched in 2013, positioning it as a relatively newer option compared to more established content management systems.
Official website : https://directus.io/
Official website : https://www.11ty.dev/


Commercial details

Directus
Eleventy
๐ŸŸข Open source : Fully.
Directus is fully open source, written in PHP. The entire platform is available for customization and contribution by the community.
๐ŸŸก Open source : Partially.
Eleventy is partially open source, with the core functionality being open but some features requiring a paid license for full access.
๐ŸŸข Free option : Yes.
Directus offers a free, self-hosted option with full features, making it a cost-effective choice for those looking for flexibility and control.
๐ŸŸข Free option : Yes.
Eleventy is a free and open-source static site generator, making it a cost-effective option for users looking to build websites without ongoing fees.
๐ŸŸข Paid option : Yes.
Directus offers a paid option with additional features and support for users looking for more advanced capabilities and assistance.
๐ŸŸข Paid option : Yes.
Eleventy offers a paid option for users looking for additional features, support, or hosted solutions, providing more flexibility and customization.


Platform details

Directus
Eleventy
๐ŸŸข Hosted : Yes.
Directus offers a hosted option through third-party vendors, providing convenience for users who prefer a managed hosting solution.
โšช Hosted : Unknown.
Eleventy does not offer a clear hosted option, but users may find third-party vendors providing hosting services for the platform.
๐ŸŸข Self host : Yes.
Self-hosting is possible with Directus, allowing users to have full control over their data and infrastructure through third-party vendors.
๐ŸŸข Self host : Yes.
Eleventy can be self-hosted on various platforms, offering flexibility and control over hosting options for users.
๐ŸŸข Headless CMS : Support natively.
Directus is a headless CMS, designed to be used as a backend for any type of frontend, making it a fully headless system.
๐ŸŸก Headless CMS : Supported via plugin.
Eleventy does not natively support headless systems but can be used with plugins or APIs to enable headless features.
๐ŸŸก Static content generation : Supported via plugin.
Directus does not natively support static content generation but can potentially achieve this functionality via a popular plugin.
๐ŸŸข Static content generation : Support natively.
Eleventy natively supports static content generation, making it efficient and easy to use for creating static websites.


Key features

Directus
Eleventy
๐ŸŸก Content management : Supported via plugin.
Directus is a good platform for managing content with its robust features, but it may require additional plugins for full functionality.
๐ŸŸก Content management : Supported via plugin.
Eleventy offers some content management capabilities through plugins, but may require additional setup compared to platforms with native content management features.
๐ŸŸก Blogging : Supported via plugin.
Directus can be used for blogging with the help of third-party plugins, offering some blogging functionality but not as robust as dedicated platforms.
๐ŸŸก Blogging : Supported via plugin.
Eleventy is a versatile static site generator suitable for blogging, but lacks some native features commonly found in dedicated blogging platforms.
๐Ÿ”ด E-commerce : Not supported.
Directus does not have native e-commerce capabilities but can potentially be enhanced by third-party plugins for online selling functionality.
๐Ÿ”ด E-commerce : Not supported.
Eleventy is not specifically designed for e-commerce, lacking native features for online stores. However, it can be enhanced with third-party plugins/extensions.
๐Ÿ”ด Community forum : Not supported.
Directus does not have native features for community/forum functionality, but it can potentially be enhanced by third-party plugins/extensions.
๐ŸŸก Community forum : Supported via plugin.
Eleventy does not natively support community/forum features but can be enhanced by integrating third-party plugins/extensions for this functionality.
๐ŸŸก Content subscription : Supported via plugin.
Content subscriptions/paywalls can be implemented through third-party plugins/extensions, enhancing Directus' functionality in this area.
๐ŸŸก Content subscription : Supported via plugin.
Eleventy does not natively support content subscriptions/paywalls but can be enhanced by third-party plugins for this functionality.


Other features

Directus
Eleventy
๐ŸŸก Multi-site : Supported via plugin.
Multi-site functionality is not natively supported in Directus, but can be achieved through third-party plugins or extensions.
๐ŸŸก Multi-site : Supported via plugin.
Eleventy does not support multi-site natively but can be achieved through third-party plugins or configurations for managing multiple sites.
๐ŸŸก Multi-language : Supported via plugin.
Multi-language support can be achieved through third-party plugins or extensions, enhancing Directus' core functionality for multilingual content management.
๐ŸŸก Multi-language : Supported via plugin.
Eleventy does not natively support multi-language but can be enhanced with popular plugins/extensions for multi-language functionality.
๐ŸŸก XML Sitemaps : Supported via plugin.
XML sitemaps can be implemented through third-party plugins or extensions, enhancing Directus' functionality in this area.
๐ŸŸก XML Sitemaps : Supported via plugin.
Eleventy does not natively support XML sitemaps but can be enhanced by third-party plugins like eleventy-plugin-sitemap for this functionality.


When choosing between Directus and Eleventy, consider your specific needs and technical expertise. Directus is great for complex projects that require a lot of customization, while Eleventy is perfect for simple, fast-loading websites. Ultimately, the right choice depends on the level of control and functionality you require for your website.