Tools & Technology

Static Site Generators (SSGs) have revolutionized how we build websites

Saheb Ansari

Architect

• • 6 min read
Static Site Generators (SSGs) have revolutionized how we build websites

Static Site Generators (SSGs) have revolutionized how we build websites. They offer a perfect balance between simplicity and power. Let's explore popular options and when to use each one.

What is a Static Site Generator?

A Static Site Generator takes source content (Markdown, HTML) and templates, then generates static HTML files. This approach offers:

Popular Static Site Generators

1. Eleventy (11ty)

Best for: Flexible, content-focused sites

npm install -g @11ty/eleventy
eleventy --serve

Strengths:

Perfect use case: Personal blogs, documentation sites

2. Hugo

Best for: Speed and simplicity

hugo new site my-site
hugo server -D

Strengths:

Perfect use case: Large blogs, news sites

3. Jekyll

Best for: GitHub Pages integration

jekyll new my-site
jekyll serve

Strengths:

Perfect use case: GitHub Pages-hosted projects

4. Next.js

Best for: React-based static sites

npx create-next-app@latest
npm run build && npm run export

Strengths:

Perfect use case: React applications with static export

5. Astro

Best for: Modern, fast static sites

npm create astro@latest
npm run dev

Strengths:

Perfect use case: Performance-critical websites

Comparison Table

Feature Eleventy Hugo Jekyll Next.js Astro
Build Speed Good Excellent Good Good Excellent
Learning Curve Medium Easy Easy Medium Medium
Customization Excellent Good Good Excellent Excellent
Theme Ecosystem Good Excellent Good Medium Good
GitHub Pages Yes Yes Native Manual Yes
Node.js Required Yes No Ruby Yes Yes

Getting Started with Eleventy

Here's a minimal Eleventy setup:

// .eleventy.js
module.exports = function(eleventyConfig) {
  eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("src/assets");
  
  return {
    dir: {
      input: "src",
      output: "_site"
    }
  };
};

Create templates:

<!-- src/_includes/base.njk -->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Static Site Generators (SSGs) have revolutionized how we build websites</title>
</head>
<body>
    
</body>
</html>

Create content:

---
layout: base
title: My Post
---

# Hello World

This is my first post!

Deployment Options

GitHub Pages (Free)

# Push to GitHub and enable Pages in settings
git push origin main

Netlify (Free tier available)

# Connect your repository and configure build settings
# Automatic deployments on push

Vercel (Free tier available)

# Similar to Netlify with Next.js native support

Traditional Hosting

# Build locally and upload _site/ folder
npm run build
# FTP/SSH to your server

When to Use Static Site Generators

✅ Use SSGs when:

❌ Avoid SSGs when:

Migration Tips

If migrating from WordPress or other CMS:

  1. Export your content to Markdown
  2. Choose your SSG
  3. Create templates/layouts
  4. Set up deployment
  5. Redirect old URLs properly
  6. Monitor analytics post-migration

Workflow Example

# 1. Create content
echo "# My New Post" > src/posts/my-post.md

# 2. Test locally
npm run start

# 3. Build for production
npm run build

# 4. Deploy
git push origin main  # If using Netlify/GitHub Pages
# or manually upload _site/ folder

Conclusion

Static Site Generators are powerful tools for building fast, secure, and maintainable websites. Whether you choose Eleventy for flexibility, Hugo for speed, or another option, you'll benefit from:

Choose the SSG that best fits your needs and project requirements. Happy building!