Getting Started with Static Site Generators

Static site generators (SSGs) have revolutionized how we build modern websites. In this post, I'll share why I love them and how you can build your own.

What is a Static Site Generator?

A static site generator is a tool that takes your content (usually written in Markdown) and templates (HTML), then combines them to produce fully static HTML files that can be served directly to users.

Benefits of Static Sites

• Lightning Fast - No database queries, just pure HTML
• Secure - No server-side code to exploit
• Easy to Deploy - Just upload files to any host
• Version Control Friendly - Content is just files, perfect for Git
• Cost Effective - Cheap hosting for static files

Building Your Own SSG

The beauty of creating your own SSG is that you understand every part of the system. In my case, I built one with Node.js because:

1. I wanted to learn the ins and outs
2. Control over every feature
3. Easy to customize for my needs

Key Components

// Simple template substitution
const template = "Hello {{ name }}!";
const data = { name: "World" };
const result = template.replace(/{{ (\w+) }}/g, (match, key) => data[key]);

Getting Started

The best way to get started is to:

1. Start small - build basic templating first
2. Add content processing gradually
3. Iterate and improve

Happy building!