Jekyll

Free plan Open source LinuxMacSelf-hostedWebWindows

What Jekyll is

Jekyll is a free, open-source tool that turns plain text into static websites and blogs. It combines markup content with layouts, accepting Markdown, Liquid, HTML, and CSS to produce static pages ready for deployment. Blog features include permalinks, categories, pages, posts, and custom layouts. A plugin system with hooks can generate custom content and extend the build process without changing Jekyll itself. Its theme system supports community-maintained templates and styles, and site content can override theme files. Generated sites can be deployed manually, through automation, or with third-party services; GitHub Pages is powered by Jekyll and provides free hosting with custom domain support. Jekyll supports Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted use. Installation requires Ruby 2.7.0 or higher, RubyGems, GCC, and Make. A safe mode is available in which plugins must be explicitly allowed through a whitelist setting. The project is maintained by a core team of volunteers.

Who it suits

Jekyll suits people who want to build static websites or blogs from text and layouts, with control over themes and plugins. It is a fit for users comfortable meeting its Ruby and build-tool installation requirements.

What it does well

Free and open source.
Includes blog features such as posts and categories.
Themes can be overridden by site content.
Static output supports varied deployment methods.
Safe mode can restrict plugins through a whitelist.

What to know first

Installation requires Ruby 2.7.0 or higher.
Installation also requires RubyGems, GCC, and Make.
No free trial is listed.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Jekyll	Static site generator · no pricing or usage limits stated	Free
Open-source Jekyll	Static-site generator · GitHub Pages hosting available free · Optional third-party themes, plugins and services may cost extra	Free

As jekyllrb.com lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Open the Jekyll website.
Install Ruby 2.7.0 or higher, RubyGems, GCC, and Make on a supported system.
Create content using Markdown, Liquid, HTML, or CSS and combine it with layouts.
Generate static files with Jekyll, then deploy manually, through automation, or with a third-party service.
For hosting, use GitHub Pages, which is powered by Jekyll and supports custom domains.

Verdict

Jekyll provides a text-to-static-site workflow with blog features, themes, plugins, and multiple deployment options. Its installation dependencies are worth checking before choosing it.

Questions

Is Jekyll free?

Yes. Jekyll is open source, and its listed plan is free.

Which platforms does Jekyll support?

It supports Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted use. Installation guides cover macOS, Ubuntu, FreeBSD, other Linux systems, and Windows.

What does Jekyll need to install?

Installation requires Ruby 2.7.0 or higher, RubyGems, GCC, and Make.

Can Jekyll use themes and plugins?

Yes. Themes provide community-maintained templates and styles, and plugins can extend the build process. In safe mode, plugins must be explicitly allowed through a whitelist setting.

How can a Jekyll site be deployed?

Generated static sites can be deployed manually, through automation, or with third-party services. GitHub Pages is powered by Jekyll and offers free hosting with custom domain support.

Who maintains Jekyll?

Jekyll is maintained by a core team of volunteers.

Facts from Jekyll's own pages

Assets: Jekyll processes Sass and can support CoffeeScript through a Ruby gem, with Liquid tags and filters available in asset files. · jekyllrb.com, 15 Oct 2026
Blog features: Permalinks, categories, pages, posts and custom layouts are built-in concepts. · jekyllrb.com, 15 Oct 2026
Collections: Custom collections can render structured documents into individual pages when output is enabled. · jekyllrb.com, 15 Oct 2026
Command line: The CLI includes new, build, serve, clean, help, new-theme and doctor commands. · jekyllrb.com, 15 Oct 2026
Content formats: Markdown, Liquid, HTML, and CSS go in, and static sites ready for deployment come out. · jekyllrb.com, 11 Oct 2026
Current release: The official news page lists Jekyll 4.4.1 as released on January 29, 2025. · jekyllrb.com, 15 Oct 2026
Database model: The official site says Jekyll avoids databases, comment moderation and update maintenance. · jekyllrb.com, 15 Oct 2026
Data files: YAML, JSON, CSV and TSV files in _data are available through site.data and Liquid. · jekyllrb.com, 15 Oct 2026
Deployment: Because output is static, Jekyll sites can be deployed manually, through automation or with third-party hosting. · jekyllrb.com, 15 Oct 2026
Documentation and support: The project publishes extensive guides covering installation, commands, content, site structure, plugins, migrations, upgrades and deployment, with community help via Jekyll Talk and IRC. · github.com, 15 Oct 2026
Front matter: YAML front matter turns files into processed Jekyll pages and exposes custom variables to Liquid templates. · jekyllrb.com, 15 Oct 2026
GitHub Pages: GitHub Pages is powered by Jekyll and offers free hosting with custom domain support. · jekyllrb.com, 11 Oct 2026
GitHub Pages integration: GitHub Pages is powered by Jekyll and offers free hosting with custom domains. · jekyllrb.com, 15 Oct 2026
How it works: It takes text written in a markup language and uses layouts to create a static website. · jekyllrb.com, 11 Oct 2026
Independent assessment: Bejamas describes Jekyll as lightweight, fast and well documented for small content-only sites, while noting missing built-in image optimization and server-side features. · bejamas.com, 15 Oct 2026
Independent integration facts: Wikipedia states that Jekyll works with GitHub Pages and can connect to CloudCannon, Forestry and Siteleaf for nontechnical content editing. · en.wikipedia.org, 15 Oct 2026
Independent security observation: Scripted describes Jekyll as having no CMS, database or server scripts to manipulate, reducing the attack surface compared with dynamic CMSs. · scripted.com, 15 Oct 2026
Installation requirements: The quickstart requires Ruby 2.7 or newer, RubyGems, GCC and Make, followed by the jekyll and bundler gems. · jekyllrb.com, 15 Oct 2026
Install requirements: Installation requires Ruby 2.7.0 or higher, RubyGems, GCC, and Make. · jekyllrb.com, 11 Oct 2026
License: Jekyll is open source and distributed under the MIT License. · rubygems.org, 15 Oct 2026
Limit: dynamic functionality: Reviewers say contact forms and other server-side features require third-party software because Jekyll itself is static. · trustradius.com, 15 Oct 2026
Limit: GitHub Pages plugins: A TrustRadius reviewer notes that GitHub Pages permits only a whitelist of plugins during its build process. · trustradius.com, 15 Oct 2026
Limit: nontechnical editing: Reviewers complain that Jekyll lacks a friendly WordPress-style backend and is difficult for nontechnical authors to update. · trustradius.com, 15 Oct 2026
Maintainers: Jekyll is maintained by a core team of volunteers. · jekyllrb.com, 11 Oct 2026