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Comparison guide

Hugo vs Jekyll

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Quick Verdict

Most Popular

Hugo

509 weekly downloads

Best Maintained

Hugo

20/100 maintenance score

Highest Quality

Hugo

50/100 quality score

Overall Pick

Jekyll

Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality

  1. hugo

    Yet another node.js interface for philips hue

    509 weekly downloads · 318.0 B gzip · Health 47/100

    0
  2. jekyll

    A blog-aware, static site generator in Ruby

    465 weekly downloads · 0 B gzip · Health 45/100

    0

Choosing between Hugo and Jekyll? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.

Downloads & Popularity

Hugo leads with 509 weekly downloads — roughly 1.1x more. Jekyll has 465 weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Jekyll has the smallest gzipped bundle at 0 B. Hugo comes in at 318.0 B. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Hugo has an overall health score of 47/100 (moderate), with strong security scores. Jekyll has an overall health score of 45/100 (moderate), with strong security scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Hugo if you value minimal bundle footprint, strong security track record. Choose Jekyll if you value strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Hugo and Jekyll are solid choices for JavaScript development. Hugo has the edge in overall health score (47/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is hugo better than jekyll?
It depends on your needs. Hugo has a health score of 47/100 while Jekyll scores 45/100. Hugo has more recorded weekly downloads (509). Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
Which has a smaller bundle size, hugo or jekyll?
Jekyll has the smaller gzipped bundle at 0 B. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use hugo vs jekyll?
Hugo has more recorded weekly downloads (509). Download counts reflect package installations, not unique developers.
Which is better maintained, hugo or jekyll?
Hugo has a maintenance score of 20/100. Hugo scores 20/100 and Jekyll scores 20/100 on maintenance.

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