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Embracing Tufte’s Design Principles in My New 11ty Starter #

I've always admired Edward Tufte’s approach to design—his emphasis on clarity, simplicity, and the thoughtful presentation of information. That’s why I’m excited to share my latest 11ty web starter, which is built around Tufte’s design principles.

Tufte’s philosophy is all about maximizing the data-to-ink ratio, meaning every element on the page should serve a purpose. His designs prioritize content over decoration, offering a minimalist aesthetic that feels timeless and professional. In my 11ty starter, I’ve incorporated features like side notes, subtle typography, and a focus on whitespace to create a clean and readable web experience.

For me, this project isn’t just about building a theme—it’s about creating a tool for anyone who wants to share information clearly and effectively. Whether you’re crafting essays, publishing research, or just want a no-nonsense blog, this starter is designed to keep the focus on your content.

If you're interested, you can check out the demo and explore the demo code on GitHub. I hope this project inspires others to embrace Tufte’s principles and build websites that are as beautiful as they are functional.

I used these same principals for another 11ty starter called Wisp.

Demos #

Tags : website 11ty

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