LinuxLinks, like most modern websites, is dynamic in that content is stored in a database and converted into presentation-ready HTML when readers access the site.
While we employ built-in server caching which creates static versions of the site, we don’t generate a full, static HTML website based on raw data and a set of templates. However, sometimes a full, static HTML website is desirable. Because HTML pages are all prebuilt, they load extremely quickly in web browsers.
There are lots of other advantages of running a full, static HTML website.
Here are some of the main advantages:
- Less software is needed to produce a static site. A small software stack can improve security. Static sites do not contain dynamic content, and are therefore immune to most common attacks;
- Obsolescence. Running a dynamic site relies on a content management system that constantly needs to be updated. The foundations of a dynamic site changes over time;
- Cost – every time a visitor accesses a page, a set of database queries are made with dynamic sites. While caching reduces these queries, there are always pages that aren’t in the cache or need to be refreshed. With a static site, the load on the server is considerably reduced;
- Previewable – as static sites are developed locally, you can play around with the site to your heart’s content without affecting the live site;
- A static site means that data is easier to export than if it’s contained within a database;
- Versionable – ideal to be used with version control system, such as Git.
A static site works very well in certain use cases. For example, it’s great for documentation. And static sites can be just as engaging as dynamic sites. The only real difference is that all the HTML is generated before being uploaded.
To provide an insight into the quality of software that is available, we have compiled a list of 7 best Ruby static site generators. All of these tools are released under a freely distributable license. Here’s our verdict captured by our legendary ratings chart.
Let’s explore the Ruby static site generators at hand. For each application we have compiled its own portal page, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, together with links to relevant resources.
| Ruby Static Site Generators | |
|---|---|
| Jekyll | Sublime blog-aware static site generator |
| Slate | Beautiful static documentation for your API |
| Middleman | Static site generator using shortcuts and tools in modern web development |
| Nanoc | Powerful web publishing system |
| Bridgetown | Webpack-aware, Ruby-powered static site generator |
| webgen | Static website generation made easy |
| Awestruct | Framework for creating static HTML sites |
This article has been revamped in line with our recent announcement.
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