11ty is dead, long live Build Awesome
Eleventy — the static site generator that builds this site — is becoming Build Awesome, a full site-building platform under Font Awesome. Same open source core, same possum.
I've been a small supporter for a few years now (I see I've given a total of a whopping $305). Seeing the project reach sustainable footing is worth celebrating for the project, Zach Leatherman and the community. Font Awesome did the same with Web Awesome (formerly Shoelace) and have grown their free icon set by 3x since launching Font Awesome Pro.
The announcement says:
Build Awesome Free (née Eleventy) was, is, and will continue to be open source using the same MIT license as before (OSI Approved).
Build Awesome adds optional Pro workflow tools on top with nice-to-haves like patterns, previews, collaboration. For a personal blog like this one, nothing changes except the project I depend on is more likely to be around in five years. That's the outcome my small monthly contribution was hoping for.
I see the Kickstarter has already passed its €25,843 goal at €37,874, with nearly 3 more weeks to go. As context, over the years Eleventy raised $242,589.73 on Open Collective.
"Build Awesome" sits in the Font Awesome naming lineage (Font Awesome, Web Awesome, Build Awesome), which is logical but not something I'd say out loud. It'll live in my package.json either way.