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Migrate from DatoCMS to 11ty

Complete guide to migrating your DatoCMS website to 11ty. Leave DatoCMS's graphql-only can be a barrier for teams unfamiliar with it behind and get ships zero javascript to the browser by default. Free migration tool included.

20-40 minutes

Medium

100% Free

Start Free Migration

TL;DR

You can migrate from DatoCMS to 11ty for free using LeaveWP. Enter your site URL, choose 11ty as the destination, and download your content — posts, pages, and media — in minutes. No API keys, passwords, or CLI tools required. Difficulty: Medium. Estimated time: 20-40 minutes.

Not sure yet? Read our DatoCMS vs 11ty comparison first.

Why Teams Leave DatoCMS

GraphQL headless CMS with image optimization built in. JAMstack teams wanting a GraphQL CMS with best-in-class image handling, but these limitations push teams toward modern alternatives.

GraphQL-only can be a barrier for teams unfamiliar with it

This is the most common reason teams migrate away from DatoCMS. 11ty eliminates this issue entirely.

Free tier is limited; mid-tier pricing is expensive

With 11ty, ships zero javascript to the browser by default — pure html.

Smaller community compared to Contentful or Strapi

Modern architectures like 11ty are designed to avoid this from the ground up.

Content migration to/from DatoCMS requires custom tooling

After migrating, you'll no longer need to worry about this — 11ty takes a fundamentally different approach.

What 11ty Brings to the Table

Zero-config JavaScript SSG that ships zero client JS by default. Built with JavaScript (multiple template languages), it's performance-focused sites that need minimal client-side javascript.

Ships zero JavaScript to the browser by default — pure HTML

Supports 10+ template languages (Nunjucks, Liquid, Markdown, etc.)

Framework-independent — use any or no JS framework

Fast builds and simple mental model

11ty is open-source and free to use. You own your code and data with no vendor lock-in. Deploy to any host that supports JavaScript, or use managed platforms like Vercel and Netlify for zero-config deployments.

DatoCMS vs 11ty at a Glance

Side-by-side comparison based on real platform characteristics

Metric	DatoCMS	11ty
Ease of Use	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
Performance	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
Flexibility	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
Cost	⭐⭐ 2/5	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
Scalability	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
Ecosystem	⭐⭐⭐ 3/5	⭐⭐⭐ 3/5
Language	API-based (GraphQL-first)	JavaScript (multiple template languages)
Pricing	Free / $99+/month	Free (open-source)
Open Source	No	Yes

Ratings are based on publicly available data, documentation, and community consensus as of 2026. Individual experience may vary.

What Gets Migrated

A detailed breakdown of how your DatoCMS content maps to 11ty

Content Types from DatoCMS

records
models
uploads
sites

Technical Details

Export Method: Content Management API (GraphQL)
Source Language: API-based (GraphQL-first)
Destination Format: Markdown/MDX files with frontmatter, organized by content type
URL Handling: 301 redirect map generated automatically to preserve SEO equity

What may need manual attention

Custom server-side logic, third-party integrations, and platform-specific plugins will need equivalent solutions in 11ty. The core content (text, images, metadata) transfers cleanly.

How It Works

Migrate your content in three simple steps

Connect

Enter your DatoCMS site URL — LeaveWP connects automatically.

Configure

Select 11ty as destination and choose content options.

Export

Download your migrated content or preview it in your browser.

Is DatoCMS to 11ty the Right Move for You?

Migrating from DatoCMS to 11ty makes the most sense if you're experiencing graphql-only can be a barrier for teams unfamiliar with it or outgrowing DatoCMS's architecture. 11ty is best for performance-focused sites that need minimal client-side javascript.

You should migrate if: your DatoCMS site is slow, your hosting costs are climbing, you need developer flexibility, or you want to adopt a modern JAMstack architecture.

You might want to stay if: your DatoCMS site benefits from built-in image optimization and responsive image api and you don't have JavaScript developers on your team. DatoCMS is genuinely easy to use, and that simplicity has value.

The migration itself is straightforward with LeaveWP — enter your DatoCMS URL, select 11ty, and download your content. The more important question is whether 11ty's architecture fits your team's skills and your project's long-term needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to migrate from DatoCMS to 11ty?

Most migrations from DatoCMS complete in 20-40 minutes. We pull content via DatoCMS's Content Management API (GraphQL), then structured for 11ty. Complex sites with extensive custom fields may take longer.

Will I lose my SEO rankings when migrating from DatoCMS?

No. We help you set up proper 301 redirects from your old DatoCMS URLs to preserve search rankings. 11ty actually tends to improve Core Web Vitals scores, which can boost rankings over time.

What DatoCMS content can be migrated to 11ty?

DatoCMS content types like records, models, uploads, sites are all migrated to 11ty. Content is converted to Markdown/MDX files or structured for your chosen headless CMS.

Do I need JavaScript experience to migrate?

No coding experience is required for the migration itself — LeaveWP handles the export and conversion automatically. However, customizing your 11ty site afterward will benefit from JavaScript (multiple template languages) knowledge. For teams without that expertise, the generated code is well-structured and documented, making it approachable for developers of any level.

How much does it cost to host a 11ty site after migrating from DatoCMS?

11ty sites can be deployed to Vercel, Netlify, Cloudflare Pages, or any Node.js host — often on generous free tiers. Compared to DatoCMS's Free / $99+/month pricing, static 11ty sites can be hosted for free on Vercel or Netlify (up to generous bandwidth limits), which is significantly cheaper than running a DatoCMS instance.

Can I migrate DatoCMS custom fields and metadata to 11ty?

Yes. Custom fields, metadata, and taxonomies from DatoCMS are preserved during migration. In 11ty, these become frontmatter fields in your Markdown/MDX files, which you can extend or restructure to fit your content model.