Static Site Generator
A Static Site Generator (SSG) is a software tool that builds static websites by converting source files (like Markdown, HTML, and templates) into pre-rendered HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files. It automates the creation of static web pages that can be served directly from a web server or content delivery network (CDN) without server-side processing. This approach is commonly used for blogs, documentation sites, portfolios, and marketing pages where content changes infrequently.
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. 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. Learning an SSG is valuable for optimizing site speed and simplifying deployment, especially in JAMstack architectures.