Why Static Sites?

Static site generators have been gaining popularity in recent years, and for good reason. They offer a simpler, faster, and more secure alternative to traditional content management systems.

Benefits

• Speed - No database queries, just pre-built HTML
• Security - No server-side code means fewer attack vectors
• Cost - Can be hosted for free on services like GitHub Pages
• Simplicity - Version control your entire site with git

The Modern Static Site

Today’s static sites aren’t the simple HTML pages of the 90s. Modern generators like Hugo, Jekyll, and Eleventy offer:

• Templating systems
• Markdown content
• Asset processing
• Live reload during development

It’s a great balance between simplicity and functionality.

“Static sites are a reminder that not every problem needs a complex solution. Sometimes the old ways are still the best ways.”

Getting Started

The barrier to entry is lower than ever. With just a few commands, you can have a site up and running:

# Install Hugo (macOS)
brew install hugo

# Create a new site
hugo new site my-site

# Start the development server
cd my-site
hugo server

No complicated server setup, no database configuration - just write content and deploy.

Writing Content

Content is written in Markdown, which is simple and portable:

---
title: "My First Post"
date: "2025-01-15"
---

## Hello World

This is my first post using a static site generator!

Hugo processes these Markdown files and generates static HTML. Simple as that.