Top 10 Static Site Generators to Build Websites in 2024

Are you looking for the best static site generators in 2024 to build your website? If yes, then this article is where you need to be. SSGs are ideal for building static websites with really fast loading times - even on slow connections. The course of this article is going to take an in-depth view of basic static site generators and help in making the most appropriate choice!

There are several advantages to building a static website. For example, they tend to be more cost-effective, faster, and easier to maintain than dynamic sites. In that respect, unless your website requires updates in real-time, the use of a static site generator will go down as the avenue of choice. So, let's dive into the basics of static versus dynamic websites and review the leading static website generators for 2024. Let's begin!

Benefits of using static site generators for website development in 2024

In 2024, static website generators (SSGs) come with certain advantages in site development:

• Lightning-fast performance: Fast site generation capabilities are part of these frameworks that can create prebuilt HTML/CSS/JS files. It enables better static site performance and is ideal in high-traffic conditions;
• Shielded from attacks: A huge advantage related to static site security is that without a database, this will reduce possible vulnerabilities to an attack;
• Effortless upkeep: Lightweight static site frameworks help ease maintenance tasks, allowing developers to be more productive with their content rather than dealing with heavy server configurations;
• Accommodating growth needs: Be it the more popular options, such as an Eleventy static site generator or Rust-based static site solutions, your best SSG for blogs and scalable static websites provides a strong foundation for modern web development;
• Better user retention: This allows static website generators to provide a smoother user experience. Since there is less server-side processing, the pages load virtually instantaneously, reducing bounce rates and offering improved overall user satisfaction.

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Top 10 best static site generators in 2024

These static website generators offer a range of features and capabilities, making them suitable for various projects, from personal blogs to complex applications. Each one has its strengths, allowing developers to choose the best tool for their specific needs.

Next.js

It's a truly versatile framework built on React. Next.js can be used to create many types of web applications: from single-page to progressive web applications and even mobile ones.

Main features:

• Static and dynamic rendering: Automatically chooses between statically pre-rendering pages and server-rendering them based on data fetching methods;
• File-based routing: Dynamic routing is as simple as adding new files to the pages directory;
• API routes: Create APIs with serverless functions directly in your Next.js application;
• Image optimization: Responsive images out-of-the-box supported; with automatic optimization.

Next.js has powerful abilities for server-side rendering, static rendering, performance optimization, and SEO improvement. It might turn out to be just what a large number of projects need! Similarly, Nuxt.js for static websites offers advantages in many ways, especially with regard to Vue.js applications. Their adoption by large companies with their global reputation is strong evidence of their effectiveness and reliability as solutions to modern web development.

Hugo

One of the brightest representatives of static website generators is Hugo site generator. The developers position Hugo as "the world's fastest website creation platform". Hugo is written in Go.

Main features:

• Speed: Hugo builds sites in milliseconds, even for large projects;
• Flexible content management: Support for multiple content types and structures, handled with ease;
• Built-in templates: Uses a templating engine extensively which really aids in simplifying the work of creating themes;
• Multilingual support: Built-in features make it easier to build multilingual websites.

Hugo is perfect for blogs, documentation sites, and any project where speed is a priority.

Jekyll

Jekyll is one of the best static site generators 2024, written in Ruby. It uses Liquid as a template language to process pages and styles, and content can also be written in Markdown or HTML. The whole idea behind Jekyll is that you should be able to write your content in simple syntax inside text files and have Jekyll automatically transform such files into a complete, publishable static website.

Main features:

• Markdown support: You could write in Markdown here, and Jekyll will be able to convert that to HTML;
• Customizable layouts: Using Liquid templating language;
• Plugins: Extend functionality through a variety of community-contributed plugins;
• GitHub integration: Easily deploy sites with GitHub Pages.

Oftentimes Jekyll is used for creating blogs and personal websites, as it simplifies content creation and updating, and also allows you to easily manage your website with the help of version control systems such as Git.

Gatsby

Gatsby is a React-based framework that emphasizes performance and SEO. It uses GraphQL to pull in data from various sources.

Main features:

• Data layer: Fetch data from APIs, databases, CMSs using GraphQL;
• Rich ecosystem: Thousands of plugins available to extend functionality and integration;
• Static site generation: Pre-builds pages for fast load times and better SEO;
• PWA support: It is very easy to convert the applications into progressive web apps with offline support.

Best for content-heavy websites, ecommerce websites, and applications that require dynamic data fetching. In 2023, Gatsby was acquired by Netlify, which announced a pause in active development. Despite this, Gatsby can still be used in projects, as the existing version remains functional and supports the creation of fast, efficient websites.

Astro

Astro is one of the leading flexible static site generators available today. It’s a modern framework designed for building fast websites using components from various frontend frameworks (React, Vue, Svelte, etc.).

Main features:

• Partial hydration: Only loads JavaScript when needed, improving performance;
• Component agnostic: Uses your favorite frontend frameworks side by side;
• Static site generation: Generates static HTML for each page at build time;
• Markdown support: Writes content in Markdown files.

Great for sites that want to leverage multiple frameworks or optimize performance with minimal JavaScript.

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Nuxt.js

Nuxt.js is a framework based on Vue.js, designed to create universal applications (SSG and SSR). It provides a powerful set of features for Vue developers.

Main features:

• File-based routing: Automatically generates routes based on the file structure;
• Modular architecture: Use modules to extend the functionality of your application easily;
• Static generation: Generate static versions of your Vue applications for optimal performance;
• SEO-friendly: Built-in support for managing meta tags and SEO best practices.

Ideal for Vue.js applications, blogs, and large-scale projects needing a robust framework.

Eleventy

Eleventy, or 11ty, is a simple and also one of the flexible static site generators that supports multiple templating languages and offers great flexibility.

Main features:

• No framework dependency: Works independently of JavaScript frameworks, allowing for a lightweight approach;
• Customizable data management: Use JSON, YAML, and other formats to manage data;
• Fast development cycle: Quick builds and a simple setup process;
• Rich plugin ecosystem: Extensible with community plugins for added features.

Perfect for developers who want a straightforward and adaptable tool for building static sites without overhead.

Zola

Zola is a fast static website generator written in Rust, focusing on simplicity and speed.

Main features:

• Single binary: Easy to install and run as a single binary with no dependencies;
• Template engine: Uses a built-in templating engine with powerful features;
• Built-in assets pipeline: Automatically handles assets like CSS and JavaScript;
• Custom shortcodes: Easily create reusable components.

Best SSG for blogs, documentation, and projects where performance is a key concern.

Gridsome

Gridsome is a Vue.js-powered static website generator that uses GraphQL to manage data efficiently.

Main features:

• GraphQL data layer: Fetch data from any source using GraphQL queries;
• SEO optimization: Automatically generates meta tags and structured data;
• PWA capabilities: Supports PWA features for offline use and better performance;
• Component-based: Build pages using Vue components for a smooth development experience.

Great for Vue.js developers building content-heavy websites, e-commerce stores, or blogs.

Scully

Scully is a static site generator for angular applications that offers a more powerful way to pre-render content to improve performance and SEO.

Main features:

• Pre-rendering: Provides static HTML for Angular apps because faster load times matter for both users and search engines;
• Dynamic route handling: Takes care of all dynamic routes by default in order to allow the easier updating of content;
• SEO-friendly output: Makes sure all pages become easily indexable for search engines.

Scully is best for angular developers who want to create fast, SEO-optimized static sites, leveraging all the Angular ecosystem.

What's more, for those interested in open-source static site generators, each has something a bit different to offer when it comes to the construction and deployment of modern web applications, be it zero-client JavaScript solutions or robust frameworks. Our static site generator comparison can help decide which tool to use.

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How to choose the best static site generator for your website in 2024

The best static site generator to be used for your website in the year 2024 depends on many factors concerning both your project needs and your technical skills. Here goes a structured approach to helping you make an informed decision:

Step 1: Clarify project objectives

Content type: Consider the type of content you are going to publish. Whether it is a blog, documentation, portfolio, or something else, some static website generators are natively more open to certain content types.

Complexity: Determine how complex it's going to be. Is it going to have a lot of dynamic content, APIs, or ecommerce on it?

Static site performance expectations: Are you going to need speed and optimization on your website, given the audience you're catering to?

Step 2: Measure technical capabilities

Familiarity with technologies: Check your familiarity with different programming languages (Ruby, Go, Python, JS) and frameworks (React, Vue). Checking your familiarity with programming languages and frameworks helps you feel more confident and capable when customizing and optimizing your static site generator, making the process smoother and more enjoyable.

Learning curve: Take into account the amount of time that you will be willing to invest in learning a new tool. Some lightweight static site frameworks have steeper learning curves compared to others.

Step 3: Do research on popular static site generators

In this article, we discussed 10 of the best static site generators for the year 2024. You may review them and make the right choice according to your needs and technical skills. Especially if you're considering options that fit within the “Jamstack" architecture, focusing on fast site generation.

Read also: 6 Tips for Choosing the Right Web Development Firm

Step 4: Evaluate community and ecosystem

Public support: The stronger the community, the better the support, more plugins, and active development. Check forums, GitHub repositories, and quality of documentation.

Plugins and integrations: See if a scalable static website supports plugins or has integrations with services you plan to use for example, CMS, APIs.

Step 5: Assess deployment options

Hosting platforms: Identify where you would like to host your site, whether Netlify, Vercel, GitHub Pages, AWS among others, and have a look at your selected SSGs' compatibility with them.

Step 6: Conduct testing and prototyping

Prototype creation: In a trial version, use a couple of SSGs to get a feel about which fits best into your workflow.

Performance testing: Ensure the loading and responsiveness are according to your needs on the performance aspect.

Step 7: Consider long-term viability

Renewals and maintenance: Clear whether the SSG has regular updates, the health of the ecosystem also maintained. A well-maintained project is essential to long-term use.

Conclusion

In 2024, static website generators continue to be the best choice in web development for offering fast site generation, static site security, and usability. Among the ones presented, Next.js, Astro, Hugo, all were addressing different needs, so it would have been ideal to have a specification about which one is really the best SSG for blogs or flexible static site generators fitting your project goals.

These tools will let you create scalable static websites by using pre-built HTML files, improving the static site performance to provide an enhanced user experience. Leverage open-sourced static site generators and lightweight static site frameworks to build up your online presence in the shifting landscape.