Static Site Generation Explained


Static Site Generation (SSG) has become increasingly popular in recent years. But what exactly is it, and when should you use it?


What is SSG?


Static Site Generation is a build process where web pages are pre-rendered at build time rather than on-demand. The result is a collection of static HTML files that can be served instantly.


Benefits of SSG


Performance


Static files are incredibly fast. There's no server processing, no database queries—just pure HTML served directly to users.


Security


With no server-side code execution and no database, the attack surface is minimal. Static sites are inherently more secure.


Scalability


Static files can be served from a CDN, making it easy to handle traffic spikes without expensive server infrastructure.


Cost-Effective


Hosting static files is cheap. Services like Netlify, Vercel, and GitHub Pages even offer free hosting for static sites.


When to Use SSG


SSG is perfect for:


  • Blogs and content sites
  • Documentation
  • Marketing pages
  • Portfolios
  • E-commerce product pages (when combined with client-side cart functionality)

    • SSG vs SSR vs CSR


    SSG (Static Site Generation)

    Pages built at build time. Best for content that doesn't change frequently.


    SSR (Server-Side Rendering)

    Pages built on each request. Best for personalized or frequently changing content.


    CSR (Client-Side Rendering)

    Pages built in the browser. Best for highly interactive applications.


    Popular SSG Tools


  • **Astro:** Modern, fast, framework-agnostic
  • **Next.js:** React-based with hybrid SSG/SSR
  • **Gatsby:** React-based with GraphQL
  • **Hugo:** Go-based, extremely fast builds
  • **Eleventy:** Simple, flexible, JavaScript-based

    • Incremental Static Regeneration


    Modern frameworks like Next.js offer ISR (Incremental Static Regeneration), which combines the benefits of SSG with the ability to update pages without full rebuilds.


    Conclusion


    Static Site Generation is a powerful approach for building fast, secure, and scalable websites. By understanding when and how to use SSG, you can deliver better experiences to your users.