Building a Static Site Generator

Static site generators have revolutionized how we build fast, secure, and maintainable websites. In this tutorial, we'll build one from scratch using Node.js.

What is a Static Site Generator?

A static site generator (SSG) is a tool that takes content written in markdown and templates written in HTML, and combines them to generate static HTML files. This approach offers numerous benefits:

• Performance: No server-side processing needed
• Security: Static files can't be hacked
• Simplicity: Easy to deploy anywhere
• Cost-effective: Minimal hosting requirements

The Architecture

Three Main Components

1. File Parser: Reads markdown files with frontmatter metadata 2. Template Engine: Processes HTML templates with variable substitution 3. Generator: Orchestrates the build process

Parsing Markdown with Frontmatter

Frontmatter is YAML metadata at the top of markdown files:

CODEBLOCK0

We can use the `gray-matter` library to extract this:

CODEBLOCK1

Building Templates

Templates use simple syntax for variable substitution:

CODEBLOCK2

The Build Process

CODEBLOCK3

Getting Started

Start small with just the essentials, then gradually add more features. The static site generator approach is flexible and can scale with your needs.

Begin your SSG journey today!