Discourse vs Eleventy

Discourse is a modern forum software that emphasizes community engagement and moderation tools. Eleventy, on the other hand, is a static site generator known for its simplicity and flexibility in creating websites. Both platforms cater to different needs and audiences.

General information

Discourse
Eleventy
Introduction :
Discourse is a modern, open-source platform for online community discussions. Launched in 2013, it has gained popularity for its user-friendly interface, robust features, and active community support. With a focus on fostering meaningful conversations and promoting user engagement, Discourse is a preferred choice for many organizations and websites looking to build vibrant online communities.
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 for beginners
  • Strong community support for troubleshooting
  • Customizable with various plugins and themes
  • Regular updates for security and performance
  • Integration with popular third-party tools and services
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 customization options
  • Steep learning curve for beginners
  • Lack of built-in SEO features
  • Limited plugin and theme options
  • Higher cost compared to some competitors
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 : Over 30% of websites
Discourse is a popular platform used by a significant portion of websites, making it a widely adopted choice for online discussions.
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.
๐ŸŸข Difficulty : Easy.
Discourse has a user-friendly interface and clear documentation, making it easy for beginners to get started without needing advanced technical skills.
๐ŸŸก Difficulty : Average.
Getting started with Eleventy requires basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Some learning curve involved for beginners.
Year launched : 2013
Discourse was launched in 2013, positioning it as a relatively newer platform compared to others in the content management system market.
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://www.discourse.org/
Official website : https://www.11ty.dev/


Commercial details

Discourse
Eleventy
๐ŸŸก Open source : Partially.
Discourse is partially open source, with the core software being open but some features requiring a paid license for full access.
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.
Discourse offers a free, self-hosted option with limited features compared to paid plans, making it a cost-effective choice for smaller communities.
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.
Discourse offers a paid option for additional features and support, providing users with more customization and assistance options.
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

Discourse
Eleventy
โšช Hosted : Unknown.
Hosted options may vary depending on the platform, with some offering both free and paid hosting services through different vendors.
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 Discourse through various third-party vendors, offering flexibility and control over hosting options.
๐ŸŸข Self host : Yes.
Eleventy can be self-hosted on various platforms, offering flexibility and control over hosting options for users.
โšช Headless CMS : Unknown.
Discourse does not have native headless support, but it may offer headless features through its API. Further investigation is needed.
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.
Discourse 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

Discourse
Eleventy
๐ŸŸก Content management : Supported via plugin.
Discourse offers content management capabilities through plugins, providing additional functionality for managing content on the platform.
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.
๐Ÿ”ด Blogging : Not supported.
Discourse is primarily a forum platform, lacking key features for traditional blogging such as customizable themes and SEO optimization.
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.
Discourse is not specifically designed for e-commerce, lacking native features for product listings, transactions, and order management.
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.
๐ŸŸก Community forum : Supported via plugin.
Discourse offers robust community features but may require additional plugins for specific functionalities compared to other platforms.
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.
Discourse does not natively support content subscriptions/paywalls but can be enhanced by popular plugins/extensions for this functionality.
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

Discourse
Eleventy
๐ŸŸก Multi-site : Supported via plugin.
Discourse does not support multi-site natively but can be enabled through third-party plugins for enhanced functionality.
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.
๐ŸŸข Multi-language : Support natively.
Discourse supports multi-language natively, allowing for seamless content translation and localization without the need for additional plugins or extensions.
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.
Discourse does not support XML sitemaps natively but can be enhanced by popular third-party plugins for this functionality.
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 deciding between Discourse and Eleventy, consider the level of interactivity and engagement required for your website. If you need a robust forum system with advanced moderation features, Discourse is the way to go. However, if you prioritize a lightweight and customizable website with static content, Eleventy offers a more straightforward solution.