Exploring Static Site Generators for Efficient Web Development

Static Site Generators can be used to create static websites. We show you the basics and technologies behind these increasingly popular applications.

Introduction to Static Site Generators

In the world of website creation, there is a wide variety of software and tools. One tool that is becoming increasingly popular is the so-called “Static Site Generator” (SSG). An SSG is an application that automatically creates the HTML, CSS and JavaScript files needed to display a website. SSGs have become increasingly popular because of their flexibility. They can be used as a stand-alone tool or deeply integrated into the architecture of a website.

Static Websites and Their Functionality

When a user requests a page on a website, the web server sends a request. The web server then responds with a specific file based on that request. On a static website, however, the requested files are already on the web server. This means that the files used to render the website (HTML, CSS and JavaScript) are unchanged because they already contain the required code. In contrast, pages on traditional or dynamic websites are generated with each request, which in this case requires a database query and the creation of the HTML file.

A static website can still be interactive. JavaScript code, CSS animations, video and audio elements, and data formats such as JSON are still supported and can be executed normally on a static website. The only difference is that the files are generated in advance, rather than on demand.

Creating and Organizing Content with SSGs

On any website, you need a way to organise and create content. Static Site Generators provide an efficient way to accomplish this task. With an SSG, you can create and organise the structure of your website while having direct access to the content. One of the important technologies used in many SSGs to manage all this is something called a template engine.

Template Engine in Static Site Generators

A template engine is software that creates templates for common elements that appear on your website. Instead of manually writing repetitive HTML code for each page of your website, a template engine helps create these elements for all pages. For example, you can write the header and footer required on each page of your website once and then apply that code to the pages with template code. You can also use variables and expressions to create or replace values within a template.

Utilizing Markdown for Content Formatting

Markdown is a markup language used to format text documents before they are converted to HTML. Although Markdown is not a complete replacement for writing HTML, it can help you structure your content without having to worry too much about HTML tags. Many SSGs allow you to write all your content in Markdown, apart from the surrounding code. This way you can focus on writing content instead of code, although you have the option of writing pure HTML code in a Markdown file as well.

Metadata and Front Matter in SSGs

Another powerful feature in the SSG Toolbox is languages that help configure and format metadata. YAML, TOML and JSON are the languages used to define metadata in what is called the ‘front matter’ of your content files. Front matter is structured data that describes or defines attributes about the content. This data is usually placed at the beginning of each content file. For example, Front Matter allows you to define a title, an author, a short description of your content and a specific layout from your templates.

The Generator Process in SSGs

After you have created the structure and created content for your website, you still need to build it. During this build process, all your assets – including CSS, images, JavaScript, metadata and more – are entered into a process and compiled. These assets are typically minimised, transpiled, compiled and finally delivered to the user as static files.

Conclusion: The Role of SSGs in Web Development

Static Site Generators are powerful tools for building websites. They enable the creation of fast and efficient static websites. Moreover, in combination with other web technologies, they can blur the line between static and dynamic websites and play an important role in the Jamstack ecosystem. The use of SSGs enables developers to create flexible and performant websites that optimally meet the needs of their users. Exploring