Content Management System vs Static Site Generator

Developers should learn CMS platforms when building websites for clients who need to manage their own content, such as blogs, e-commerce sites, or corporate portals, as it reduces maintenance overhead meets developers should use a static site generator when building fast, secure, and scalable websites with predictable content, as it eliminates server-side rendering overhead and reduces vulnerabilities compared to dynamic sites. Here's our take.

Content Management System

Nice Pick

Developers should learn CMS platforms when building websites for clients who need to manage their own content, such as blogs, e-commerce sites, or corporate portals, as it reduces maintenance overhead

Pros

• It's also useful for rapid prototyping and when collaborating with non-technical teams, as CMSs offer pre-built themes, plugins, and user roles
• Related to: wordpress, drupal

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Static Site Generator

Developers should use a Static Site Generator when building fast, secure, and scalable websites with predictable content, as it eliminates server-side rendering overhead and reduces vulnerabilities compared to dynamic sites

Pros

• It's ideal for projects like blogs, documentation, or landing pages where performance and simplicity are priorities, and it integrates well with modern workflows using version control and headless CMSs
• Related to: jamstack, markdown

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Content Management System is a platform while Static Site Generator is a tool. We picked Content Management System based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Content Management System wins

Based on overall popularity. Content Management System is more widely used, but Static Site Generator excels in its own space.