Most Popular SSGs in Web Development

November 4, 2025

Static Site Generators (SSGs): A Comprehensive Review

In the evolving world of web development, Static Site Generators (SSGs) have become a powerful alternative to traditional content management systems (CMS) like WordPress or Drupal. Instead of dynamically generating pages on each user request, SSGs prebuild the entire website into static HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files. This approach leads to faster load times, greater security, lower costs, and easier scalability.

Whether you’re creating a personal blog, documentation site, or professional portfolio, an SSG offers a clean, efficient, and developer-friendly workflow. In this post, we’ll review several popular static site generators — including Hugo, Jekyll, Pelican, Gatsby, and Eleventy — to help you choose the right one for your needs.

What Are Static Site Generators?

A Static Site Generator converts plain text (often written in Markdown) and templates into static HTML files. Once generated, the files can be hosted anywhere — from a simple file server to a Content Delivery Network (CDN).

How SSGs Work

Write Content – You write articles or pages in Markdown or another supported format.
Build Process – The SSG compiles templates, content, and assets into static HTML.
Deploy – The resulting static files are deployed to a hosting platform (e.g., GitHub Pages, Netlify, or Vercel).

This architecture eliminates databases and server-side scripts, resulting in faster and more secure websites.

Popular Static Site Generators

1. Hugo

Language: Go
Website: https://gohugo.io/

Overview:
Hugo is one of the fastest and most popular static site generators. Built in Go, it’s renowned for its lightning-fast build times, making it ideal for large websites with hundreds or even thousands of pages.

Key Features:

Written in Go for exceptional speed.
Built-in support for Markdown and taxonomies.
Powerful templating system.
Native multilingual support.
Vast collection of community themes.

Pros:

Blazing-fast build speed.
Simple setup and clear documentation.
Excellent for large, content-heavy sites.
Flexible configuration and theming.

Cons:

Smaller plugin ecosystem compared to Jekyll.
Some learning curve for complex customizations.

Best For: Blogs, documentation, corporate sites, and large-scale content projects.

2. Jekyll

Language: Ruby
Website: https://jekyllrb.com/

Overview:
Jekyll is one of the earliest and most influential SSGs, created by GitHub co-founder Tom Preston-Werner. It powers GitHub Pages by default, making it incredibly easy to host static sites directly from a GitHub repository.

Key Features:

Markdown, Liquid templating, and YAML front matter.
Built-in blog support with posts, categories, and tags.
Seamless integration with GitHub Pages.
Large community and plugin ecosystem.

Pros:

Simple for beginners, especially GitHub users.
Vast plugin and theme library.
Excellent for blogging and personal websites.

Cons:

Slower build times on large sites.
Requires Ruby, which may feel unfamiliar to non-Ruby developers.

Best For: Personal blogs, open-source project pages, and GitHub-hosted sites.

3. Pelican

Language: Python
Website: https://getpelican.com/

Overview:
Pelican is a Python-based static site generator, ideal for developers who already work with Python. It’s highly customizable and supports both Markdown and reStructuredText formats.

Key Features:

Written in Python for easy integration with Python tools.
Supports Markdown and reStructuredText.
Plugin system and Jinja2 templating engine.
Multi-language and feed support (RSS/Atom).
Flexible deployment options.

Pros:

Perfect for Python developers.
Highly extensible through plugins.
Clean, structured codebase with good documentation.

Cons:

Smaller community compared to Jekyll or Hugo.
Fewer pre-built themes.
Slightly slower build times for large sites.

Best For: Python enthusiasts, technical blogs, and documentation sites.

4. Gatsby

Language: JavaScript (React)
Website: https://www.gatsbyjs.com/

Overview:
Gatsby is a React-based framework that combines static site generation with modern front-end development. It supports GraphQL for data fetching and is optimized for performance, making it great for dynamic, content-rich websites.

Key Features:

React components for modern web development.
GraphQL for pulling data from APIs, CMSs, or databases.
Built-in performance optimization (image loading, caching).
Vast plugin ecosystem and starter templates.

Pros:

Integrates well with modern web stacks.
High-performance and SEO-friendly.
Suitable for complex, data-driven sites.

Cons:

Steep learning curve for non-React developers.
Slow build times for very large sites.

Best For: Developers familiar with React, JAMstack websites, and advanced web applications.

5. Eleventy (11ty)

Language: JavaScript
Website: https://www.11ty.dev/

Overview:
Eleventy (often written as 11ty) is a flexible, simple SSG that doesn’t tie you to a specific framework. It supports multiple templating languages and gives developers complete control over their site’s structure.

Key Features:

Multiple templating engine support (Markdown, Nunjucks, Liquid, etc.).
Minimal configuration.
Fast build times and small footprint.
Flexible and framework-agnostic.

Pros:

Very lightweight and simple.
Fast builds and easy setup.
No dependencies on frameworks or databases.

Cons:

Smaller plugin/theme ecosystem.
More manual configuration for advanced features.

Best For: Developers who want simplicity, flexibility, and full control over site structure.

SSG Comparison Table

Generator	Language	Speed	Best Use Case	Ecosystem	Difficulty
Hugo	Go	⚡ Fastest	Large blogs, enterprise sites	Large	Moderate
Jekyll	Ruby	Medium	Personal blogs, GitHub Pages	Very Large	Easy
Pelican	Python	Medium	Python-based sites, technical blogs	Moderate	Moderate
Gatsby	JavaScript (React)	Medium	Modern apps, data-rich sites	Large	Hard
Eleventy	JavaScript	Fast	Simple static sites, flexible projects	Growing	Easy

Advantages of Using an SSG

Speed
Static sites load almost instantly since they are prebuilt and served from CDNs.
Security
No server-side database or code means fewer vulnerabilities.
Scalability
Easy to scale globally using CDNs without managing servers.
Low Maintenance
No need to patch, update, or monitor server-side software.
Version Control Integration
Websites are stored in Git, enabling collaborative workflows and automated deployments.

Choosing the Right SSG

Choose Hugo if you want speed and handle large-scale content.
Choose Jekyll if you’re hosting on GitHub Pages or prefer simplicity.
Choose Pelican if you’re a Python developer and value flexibility.
Choose Gatsby if you want a React-based, modern web app experience.
Choose Eleventy if you want lightweight control without frameworks.

Conclusion

Static Site Generators are redefining the way modern websites are built and deployed. They combine the simplicity and speed of static files with the flexibility of modern workflows. Whether you’re building a personal blog, documentation hub, or company website, there’s an SSG suited to your needs.

By leveraging tools like Hugo, Jekyll, Pelican, Gatsby, or Eleventy, you can build fast, secure, and maintainable websites — perfectly aligned with the JAMstack philosophy of performance, scalability, and decoupled architecture.