Static Site Generator
A tool that generates static HTML pages from templates and content at build time rather than on each request.
Definition
A static site generator (SSG) is a development tool that combines templates with content to produce complete HTML pages before deployment. Unlike dynamic websites that build pages on each request, static sites serve pre-built files directly.
Popular SSGs include Next.js, Gatsby, Astro, and Hugo. They offer the performance and security benefits of static hosting while enabling modern development workflows and dynamic data integration during the build process.
Why It Matters
Static sites load faster because they serve pre-built files without server processing. This improves user experience and SEO rankings while reducing hosting costs and server maintenance.
Security improves because static sites have no database or server-side code to exploit. For content-focused websites like blogs, documentation, and marketing sites, static generation often provides the best balance of performance and developer experience.
Examples in Practice
A PR agency rebuilds their website with a static site generator, reducing page load times from 3 seconds to under 1 second while eliminating their previous CMS security vulnerabilities.
An artist portfolio site uses a static generator to create lightning-fast galleries that load instantly on any device without server-side image processing.
A conference website generates hundreds of speaker and session pages statically, handling traffic spikes during registration without scaling concerns.