Complete guide to migrating your WordPress website to Jekyll. Leave WordPress's php rendering is slow compared to static html behind and get native github pages integration. Free migration tool included.
You can migrate from WordPress to Jekyll for free using LeaveWP. Enter your site URL, choose Jekyll 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.
Official docs: WordPress REST API Docs
PHP-based CMS powering 43% of the web. Content-heavy sites where non-technical editors need full control, but these limitations push teams toward modern alternatives.
PHP rendering is slow compared to static HTML
This is the most common reason teams migrate away from WordPress. Jekyll eliminates this issue entirely.
Requires constant security patches and plugin updates
With Jekyll, native github pages integration — deploy by pushing to a repo.
Database-driven architecture limits scalability under load
Modern architectures like Jekyll are designed to avoid this from the ground up.
Plugin conflicts can break your site after updates
After migrating, you'll no longer need to worry about this — Jekyll takes a fundamentally different approach.
Ruby-based SSG that powers GitHub Pages. Built with Ruby (Liquid templates), it's developer blogs hosted on github pages with minimal setup.
Native GitHub Pages integration — deploy by pushing to a repo
Mature and battle-tested for blogs and documentation
Large library of themes and plugins
Simple mental model — content in Markdown, layouts in Liquid
Jekyll is open-source and free to use. You own your code and data with no vendor lock-in. Deploy to any host that supports Ruby, or use managed platforms like Vercel and Netlify for zero-config deployments.
Side-by-side comparison based on real platform characteristics
| Metric | WordPress | Jekyll |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 | ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 |
| Performance | ⭐⭐ 2/5 | ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 |
| Flexibility | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 | ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 |
| Cost | ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 |
| Scalability | ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 | ⭐⭐ 2/5 |
| Ecosystem | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 | ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 |
| Language | PHP | Ruby (Liquid templates) |
| Pricing | Free (self-hosted) + hosting costs | Free (open-source) |
| Open Source | Yes | Yes |
Ratings are based on publicly available data, documentation, and community consensus as of 2026. Individual experience may vary.
A detailed breakdown of how your WordPress content maps to Jekyll
What may need manual attention
Custom server-side logic, third-party integrations, and platform-specific plugins will need equivalent solutions in Jekyll. The core content (text, images, metadata) transfers cleanly.
Migrate your content in three simple steps
Enter your WordPress site URL — LeaveWP connects automatically.
Select Jekyll as destination and choose content options.
Download your migrated content or preview it in your browser.
Migrating from WordPress to Jekyll makes the most sense if you're experiencing php rendering is slow compared to static html or outgrowing WordPress's architecture. Jekyll is best for developer blogs hosted on github pages with minimal setup.
You should migrate if: your WordPress 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 WordPress site benefits from massive plugin ecosystem with 59,000+ plugins and you don't have Ruby developers on your team. WordPress is genuinely easy to use, and that simplicity has value.
The migration itself is straightforward with LeaveWP — enter your WordPress URL, select Jekyll, and download your content. The more important question is whether Jekyll's architecture fits your team's skills and your project's long-term needs.
Explore more migration paths from WordPress or to Jekyll
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