One post tagged with "Jekyll"

Jekyll has been the default static site generator for over a decade. But its Ruby dependency has become a pain point for developers who've moved on to Python.

Pycora Pro is a Python-native alternative. Same Markdown + YAML workflow, same layout inheritance, but zero Ruby.

Here's how they compare.

The Core Difference​

Dependencies​

Jekyll​

Jekyll requires Ruby, then gems, then Bundler. On a fresh machine:

# Install Ruby (varies by OS)
brew install ruby

# Install Jekyll
gem install jekyll bundler

# Install project gems
bundle install

Every time Ruby updates, gems break. Every time a gem updates, Bundler complains. This is dependency hell.

Pycora Pro​

pip install jinja2 markdown pyyaml watchdog

Four packages. That's it. Python 3.8+ is already on most machines.

Build Speed​

We built a test site with 40 Markdown files, 10 layouts, and 5 partials.

Pycora Pro is 4–5x faster on the same content.

Templating​

Jekyll — Liquid​

{% for post in site.posts limit:3 %}
  <a href="{{ post.url }}">{{ post.title }}</a>
{% endfor %}

Pycora Pro — Jinja2 + PAX​

{% for post in posts | limit(3) %}
  <a href="{{ post.url }}">{{ post.title }}</a>
{% endfor %}

PAX auto-converts old Liquid-style slices:

{{ posts[:3] }}      →  {{ posts | limit(3) }}

So if you're migrating from Jekyll, most Liquid templates work with minor tweaks.

Content Format​

Both use Markdown + YAML frontmatter.

Jekyll​

---
layout: post
title: "My Post"
date: 2024-01-20
tags: [python, ssg]
---

Pycora Pro​

---
layout: layouts/post
title: "My Post"
date: 2024-01-20
tags: [python, ssg]
---

Almost identical. The only difference: Pycora uses layouts/post instead of post.

Deployment​

Both output static HTML. Both deploy anywhere.

Pycora Pro advantage: no Ruby version manager needed on the build server. Python is already there.

Developer Experience​

Jekyll​

• Plugin ecosystem is mature
• Liquid is limited for complex logic
• Ruby debugging required for theme development
• Slow feedback loop on large sites

Pycora Pro​

• Python native — use any Python library
• Jinja2 is more powerful than Liquid
• Built-in Decap CMS admin
• Live reload via python dev.py

When to Use Jekyll​

• You already know Ruby
• You need a specific Jekyll plugin
• You're maintaining an existing Jekyll site

When to Use Pycora Pro​

• You prefer Python
• You want faster builds
• You want zero Ruby dependencies
• You want a built-in CMS
• You want a premium bento design out of the box

Migrating from Jekyll​

Migration is straightforward:

1. Rename _posts/ → content/posts/
2. Convert Liquid templates to Jinja2 (PAX handles most of it)
3. Move _config.yml → _data/site.yaml
4. Run python ssg.py

See our Jekyll migration guide for details.

Get Pycora Pro​

Pycora Pro is $145, one payment, own forever.

• Unlimited projects
• No license key
• No renewal
• White-label resale allowed

Get Pycora Pro on Gumroad →