Astro is an emerging static site generator that focuses on delivering fast, lightweight websites. Unlike traditional frameworks like Next.js, Astro’s main selling point is its ability to ship less JavaScript to the browser, making websites faster and more optimized for SEO.
Core Features of Astro:
- Partial Hydration: Astro allows you to hydrate only the components that need interactivity, which helps reduce JavaScript overhead.
- Use of Multiple Frameworks: You can use React, Vue, Svelte, or even just HTML with Astro, making it a very flexible tool for web designers.
- Zero JavaScript by Default: Astro sends zero JavaScript to the browser by default, which makes it one of the fastest static site generators.
Why Astro Is Ideal for Web Designers:
- Optimized Performance: With Astro, you can build sites that load incredibly fast, improving the user experience and boosting SEO.
- Great for Content-Heavy Sites: Astro is perfect for blogs, portfolios, and documentation sites, where static content needs to be delivered with high performance.
- Ease of Use: You don’t need to learn a whole new language or framework. Astro works with the tools and languages you already use.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to build your first site with Astro, and discuss how it compares to other static site generators like Jekyll and Hugo.
