Static Site Generator
A Static Site Generator (SSG) is a tool that builds static HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files from source files like Markdown, templates, and data, which are then served directly to users without server-side processing. It automates the creation of fast, secure, and scalable websites by pre-rendering content at build time, making it ideal for blogs, documentation, portfolios, and marketing sites. Popular examples include Jekyll, Hugo, Gatsby, and Next.js (in static export mode).
Developers should use static site generators when building content-focused websites that don't require real-time user interactions or dynamic server-side rendering, as they offer performance benefits like faster load times, improved SEO, and lower hosting costs due to serving pre-built files. They are particularly useful for projects with predictable content updates, such as blogs, documentation sites, or landing pages, where the simplicity and security of static files outweigh the need for complex backend logic.