Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Laravel Forge VS Jekyll

Compare Laravel Forge VS Jekyll and see what are their differences

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Laravel Forge logo Laravel Forge

Help build, deploy and manage PHP servers in the cloud.

Jekyll logo Jekyll

Jekyll is a simple, blog aware, static site generator.
  • Laravel Forge Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-26
  • Jekyll Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-17

Laravel Forge features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Laravel Forge offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of deploying and managing servers. Even users with minimal server management experience can navigate through the platform easily.
  • Automated Deployment
    It automates the deployment process for Laravel applications, which can save significant time and reduce the risk of errors compared to manual deployments.
  • Server Management
    Forge provides comprehensive server management tools including SSL setup, server monitoring, and automatic updates, thereby reducing the need for manual server configurations.
  • Integration with Laravel Ecosystem
    Seamless integration with other Laravel tools and frameworks, such as Envoyer and Vapor, enhances the overall development and deployment workflow.
  • Provisioning and Scaling
    Allows easy provisioning of new servers and scaling options, which can be crucial for handling traffic spikes or scaling an application as it grows.

Possible disadvantages of Laravel Forge

  • Cost
    Laravel Forge is a paid service, and while it offers a lot of value, it might not be ideal for developers or small projects with limited budgets.
  • Limited to Laravel
    While Forge can technically be used to deploy other PHP applications, it is primarily tailored for Laravel projects. Non-Laravel applications may not fully benefit from all the features.
  • Vendor Lock-in
    Using a specific platform for deployment can create a level of dependency on that platform, making it more challenging to switch to another service in the future.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, there is still a learning curve involved in understanding all the features and functionalities, especially for complete beginners.
  • Limited Customization
    Forge provides many automated settings and configurations, but this can limit the level of customization for advanced users who require more granular control over their server setups.

Jekyll features and specs

  • Speed and Performance
    Jekyll generates static websites, which means they load faster compared to dynamic websites. No database queries are required, reducing server overhead and improving performance.
  • Security
    Static sites have a smaller attack surface compared to dynamic sites because they don't rely on databases or server-side code. This means fewer vectors for potential compromises.
  • Simplicity
    Jekyll setups are relatively straightforward, especially if you are comfortable writing in Markdown and HTML. This can make it easier to manage and maintain your website.
  • Integration with GitHub Pages
    Jekyll is designed to work seamlessly with GitHub Pages, allowing you to host your website for free with automatic deployment directly from your GitHub repository.
  • Customizability
    Jekyll allows for extensive customization through its support for plugins, themes, and templates. This can be helpful to create a unique look and functionality for your website.

Possible disadvantages of Jekyll

  • Learning Curve
    While Jekyll is simpler than some other static site generators, it does require some familiarity with the command line, version control (Git), and YAML configuration.
  • Build Time
    For large websites, the build times can become lengthy, which can slow down the development process, especially if you are making frequent updates.
  • Lack of Real-time Content Updates
    Since Jekyll generates static sites, real-time content updates (e.g., comments, dynamic forms) aren't natively supported and require third-party services or additional tooling.
  • Dependence on Ruby
    Jekyll is built with Ruby, so you will need to have Ruby installed and occasionally deal with Ruby-specific issues. This might be a drawback for developers who are not familiar with the Ruby ecosystem.
  • Limited Built-in Functionality
    While Jekyll is very flexible, it doesn’t have built-in support for many features out of the box, which might require you to manually implement or rely on plugins.

Analysis of Laravel Forge

Overall verdict

  • Laravel Forge is an excellent tool for developers who want to streamline their server management and deployment processes. Its features are robust and specifically tailored for PHP and Laravel projects, ensuring a smooth workflow from development to production. The general consensus among users is positive, highlighting its capacity to optimize and simplify server-related tasks.

Why this product is good

  • Laravel Forge is highly regarded for its ability to simplify server management for PHP and specifically Laravel applications. It automates the deployment of code, handles server provisioning, and facilitates various configuration tasks, which significantly reduces the complexity and time involved in managing server environments. Its strong points include seamless integration with popular cloud service providers, automatic SSL certificate issuance through Let's Encrypt, and user-friendly interface, making it an attractive choice for developers seeking an efficient server management tool.

Recommended for

  • Laravel developers
  • PHP developers
  • Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) using Laravel
  • Development teams looking for rapid deployment solutions
  • Freelancers managing client applications

Analysis of Jekyll

Overall verdict

  • Jekyll is a good choice for individuals and organizations looking for a straightforward, reliable, and efficient way to build static websites. Its strengths include simplicity, flexibility, and strong community support, which contribute to a smooth development experience.

Why this product is good

  • Jekyll is a popular static site generator that is widely appreciated for its simplicity, speed, and ease of use. It is particularly suited for creating blogs and simple websites, leveraging Markdown and Liquid templates to generate static HTML content. Its integration with GitHub Pages also makes it a convenient choice for developers and non-developers alike who want to host their sites directly from their GitHub repositories without additional setup or cost.

Recommended for

  • Bloggers and content creators looking for a simple way to publish content online.
  • Developers who prefer writing in Markdown and managing content with a version control system.
  • Users who want to host their sites for free using GitHub Pages.
  • Anyone in need of a static site generator that is easy to set up, customize, and maintain with minimal resources.

Laravel Forge videos

Laravel Vapor vs Laravel Forge

More videos:

  • Review - Why I'm switching from managed WordPress hosting to Laravel Forge and Digital Ocean
  • Review - PHP Reviews: Fraym and October CMS, Laravel Forge

Jekyll videos

Getting Started With Jekyll, The Static Site Generator

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Laravel Forge and Jekyll)
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0
CMS
0 0%
100% 100
Hosting
100 100%
0% 0
Blogging
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Laravel Forge and Jekyll

Laravel Forge Reviews

  1. I like how php based apps are deployed here

    I have tested other solutions , and I had some issues with Nginx because it was giving me 405 error everytime someone tried to make a post request to my server url, but with Laravel Forge that didn't happen and it was all smooth and successful.

    🏁 Competitors: Ploi.io
    👍 Pros:    Mature product

Jekyll Reviews

Best Gitbook Alternatives You Need to Try in 2023
Jekyll is a static site generator often used to create blogs and websites, similar to Gitbook in its ability to generate documentation from markdown files. Jekyll is built in Ruby and is known for its flexibility and ease of use. It also has a large community and a wide variety of plugins and themes available. Jekyll's main advantage is that it is highly customizable,...
Source: www.archbee.com
11 Popular Free And Open Source WordPress CMS alternatives in 2021
Unlike some listed alternatives, Jekyll is also a static site generator so it lays in the same category. It uses Ruby and we would say it's simpler, free, and open-source CMS software.
Source: medevel.com
10 static site generators to watch in 2021
Perhaps most conveniently described as Jekyll implemented with JavaScript rather than Ruby, Eleventy has now moved beyond that while retaining a clear and simple on-ramp, and only shipping to the browser what you tell it too. As with Jekyll and Hugo, no JavaScript frameworks are auto-baked in.
Source: www.netlify.com
Hugo vs Jekyll: an Epic Battle of Static Site Generator Themes
Jekyll isn’t strict with its content location. It expects pages in the root of your site, and will build whatever’s there. Here’s how you might organize these pages in your Jekyll site root:
9 Reasons I Think Craft is the Best CMS on the Market Today
Craft CMS is simple, minimalistic, agile and has every capability a modern CMS framework needs. Over the past ten years we have worked with every CMS you could think of (Wordpress, Drupal, Rails+ActiveAdmin, Ghost, Weebly, DjangoCMS, Jekyll, Joomla, Tumblr, Squarespace, Expression Engine, Statamic, Blogger)… here are the reasons why we’ve landed firmly with Craft as our №1...
Source: hackernoon.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Jekyll should be more popular than Laravel Forge. It has been mentiond 195 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Laravel Forge mentions (32)

  • Laravel Cloud
    This is actually a 3rd option for laravel. I assume they are making money to support the project by offering these curated cloud deployment offerings. https://vapor.laravel.com/ https://forge.laravel.com/ https://app.laravel.cloud/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Laravel API Tutorial: Build, Document, and Secure a REST API
    Now that this is all in place, we want to actually deploy our API. Now, when it comes to deploying APIs in Laravel, there are multiple approaches you could take. Laravel Forge is a great option, and will automatically deploy for you to your own infrastructure based on GitHub webhooks. Another option is to use something like Ploi.io which is similar to Laravel Forge but built and maintained by a different company.... - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Setting Up Laravel on Your Own Server: A DIY Guide
    Before you go through the pain and challenge of configuring your own server you should perhaps consider Laravel forge. I trust they would know better how to deploy a laravel app. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • Laravel Ecosystem in 2024
    Laravel Forge: Laravel Forge simplifies server management, deployment, and scaling of Laravel applications. It provides an easy-to-use interface for configuring servers, deploying code, managing databases, and more. Ideal for developers who want to automate server management with minimal effort. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • PHP is the new JavaScript?
    The comments on this thread are interesting. I use Laravel extensively. For big applications, serving lots of users. It works when the application is relatively complex, and the ecosystem is second to none. Need to just throw it up on a server? There's Forge[1]. A better CI/CD process? Envoyer[2]. Want serverless? Not for me, but Fathom[3] use it to deal with >100Ms of hits a day; there's Vapor[4]. All three of... - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
View more

Jekyll mentions (195)

  • Building PicoSSG: 'Just Enough Code'
    The static site generator (SSG) landscape is crowded with feature-rich but increasingly complex solutions. As I looked at and used tools like lume, 11ty, lektor, or jekyll, I found myself drowning in configuration options, plugins, and middleware. What started as a simple desire to convert Markdown content into HTML had evolved into learning complex frameworks with steep learning curves. - Source: dev.to / 29 days ago
  • How to create a blog with Quartz, GitHub, and Cloudflare
    If you don't want to use Jekyll as your static site generator for GitHub Pages and you want to have a custom domain for your GitHub Pages. This post is for you! - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Blogging with Obsidian and Jekyll
    Jekyll is a static site generator that transforms Markdown files into a fully functional website. Everything is generated into plain HTML, which makes it simple to deploy on platforms like GitHub Pages. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Create a Blogging Platform With No Backend (Zero Hosting Fee)
    Obviously, there are a dozen choices for generating static websites (efficiently and quickly), from the classic Jekyll to the new Next.js. And you are good to go with any of them as long as your confident with it. I choose 11ty because:. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • It's easy to dev blog
    In your repository settings you need to turn on GitHub Pages to make it pull Jekyll content (that's the magic✨ default GitHub Pages build tool) from your GitHub repository. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Laravel Forge and Jekyll, you can also consider the following products

Ploi.io - Stop the Hassle. Start deploi'ing. Use Ploi.io for easy site deployments. We take all the difficult work out of your hands, so you can focus on doing what you love: developing your application.

Hugo - Hugo is a general-purpose website framework for generating static web pages.

RunCloud - Hassle-free PHP web application & server management panel

Ghost - Ghost is a fully open source, adaptable platform for building and running a modern online publication. We power blogs, magazines and journalists from Zappos to Sky News.

ServerPilot.io - Centralized hosting control panel for Wordpress and PHP web sites

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.