Top 3 Svelte Static Site Generators for Maximum Performance
In recent years, static site generators (SSGs) have experienced a surge in popularity among developers because of their simplicity, speed, and security benefits. They’re often used for blogs, documentation, portfolios, and ecommerce sites.
In this article, we will take a closer look at several static site generators that use Svelte and discuss why they could be a game-changer for your next web development projects.
What Is a Svelte Static Site Generator?
A static site generator is a tool that generates a website composed of static HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files.
Svelte is a modern JavaScript framework that has gained significant traction among developers for its unique approach to building web applications.
It differs from other JavaScript frameworks like React and Vue because it compiles code at build time rather than runtime.
As you can imagine, a static site generator that uses Svelte will generate all the necessary HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files at build time — making it possible for developers to create fast and efficient websites that are easy to maintain and update.
Pros and Use Cases of Static Site Generators That Use Svelte
There are several reasons why developers might choose to use a Svelte SSG for their web development projects. Here are some of the key benefits:
- Speed: because there is no need for a server to generate pages on the fly, static sites can be loaded almost instantly — particularly for sites like ecommerce or news websites.
- Security: there is no database or server-side code that can be hacked, which makes it a good choice for sites that handle sensitive data or transactions.
- Scalability: since there is no server-side code, there are no bottlenecks or limitations to worry about.
- Developer experience: with features like hot module reloading, server-side rendering, and automatic code splitting — it’s easier for developers to build, test, and deploy their sites.
Use Cases for Svelte Static Site Generators
Svelte SSGs can be used for a wide range of web development projects. Here are some use cases with specific examples:
- Personal blogs: SSGs like SvelteKit and Elder.js are great for building personal blogs. They offer built-in support for markdown and code syntax highlighting, making it easy to create and publish blog posts.
- Business websites: Astro is well-suited for building business websites as it offers features such as server-side rendering, automatic page generation, and dynamic routes.
- Ecommerce sites: Svelte SSGs can be used to build fast and efficient ecommerce sites since it offers a great user experience.
- Documentation sites: Svelte SSGs are also ideal for building documentation sites.
- Interactive web applications: with Astro, you can build interactive web applications.
Top 3 Svelte Static Site Generators
Before we review some of these static site generators, you should understand that SSGs will always generate static files, which you’d need to host online for your users to have access to the website.
With Kinsta, you can host your static website through our Application Hosting solution which offers you scalability, reliability, and security. We’re currently working on adding new, dedicated static site hosting services that will allow you to deploy your SSGs more efficiently and serve your content even faster.
Let’s now explore some best static site generators that use Svelte and what makes them stand out.
1. SvelteKit
SvelteKit is a popular SSG built on top of the Svelte framework that takes advantage of Svelte’s unique features, such as:
- Compiler-based approach
- Reactive updates
- Component-based architecture
- Smaller bundle sizes
- Easy to learn
It was built by the Svelte team and is widely considered one of the best SSGs that use Svelte for the following reasons:
- SvelteKit has built-in serverless functions, making it easy to add backend functionality to your website. For example, you could use a serverless function to handle form submissions, process payments, or interact with a database.
- SvelteKit automatically code-splits your application, which means that it only loads the code that’s needed for each page. This results in faster load times and better performance.
- SvelteKit can pre-fetch data for a page before it’s loaded, which means that the page can be rendered faster.
- SvelteKit comes with built-in routing, which makes it easy to create complex multi-page applications.
SvelteKit is used by many popular websites, including Yarn and Brilliant. If you’re looking for a Svelte SSG, SvelteKit is definitely worth a try. Make sure to check out their official documentation which provides comprehensive documentation on how to get started and more.
How To Deploy a SvelteKit Static Site on Kinsta
You can set up a SvelteKit static site on Kinsta by forking our quick start example and deploying it to our Application hosting. This will provide you with a URL that loads up your SvelteKit static site within minutes.
2. Astro
Astro is a modern static site generator that provides a flexible and efficient way to build static websites. It is designed to be fast, lightweight, and easy to use, making it a great choice for developers who want to build performant and easy-to-maintain websites.
Astro is designed around a component-driven development model, which makes it easy to create reusable components and manage their state and data flow. You also have the ability to use your favorite frontend frameworks like Svelte, React, and Vue to create components that you can easily integrate into Astro pages and templates.
It also utilizes the Island architecture, a unique approach that separate pages and components into isolated “islands” of code (CSS, JavaScript, and HTML).
Astro also gives you access to so many integrations, such as:
- MDX Integration
- Image optimization Integration
- Tailwind Integration
- Sitemap Integration
Astro is used by many popular websites like The Guardian Engineering. You can check out other popular platforms that use them on their showcase page.
The documentation for Astro provides detailed information on how to use the framework, including its integration with the Svelte framework.
How To Deploy an Astro Static Site on Kinsta
You can easily set up an Astro website by forking Kinta’s hello-world quickstart example on GitHub. Then deploy it to Kinsta’s Application hosting, which would provide you with a unique URL.
3. Elder.js
Elder.js is a static site generator built with SEO in mind. A small team of SEOs and developers designed it from the ground up to solve the unique challenges and complexities of building flagship SEO sites with 100k+ pages.
One of the key features of Elder.js is its ability to work seamlessly with Svelte, giving developers the possibility to create reusable UI components and use them across multiple pages or even projects.
On top of being able to integrate with Svelte, Elder.js has other interesting features:
- Elder.js uses a highly optimized build process that utilizes as many CPU cores as possible, making it incredibly fast and efficient. For instance, according to their documentation, it can easily generate a data-intensive 18,000-page site in just 8 minutes using only a 4-core VM.
- With Elder.js, developers have complete control over how they fetch, prepare, and manipulate data before sending it to their Svelte template.
- Elder.js supports a range of official and community plugins that can be added to a site to extend its functionality.
- Elder.js supports shortcodes, which are smart placeholders that can be used to future-proof content whether it lives in a CMS or static files. These shortcodes can be asynchronous, making it easy to include dynamic content on a site.
- Elder.js allows developers to hydrate just the parts of the client that need to be interactive, reducing payload size and improving site performance.
Check the official Elder.js documentation for more information.
How To Deploy an Elder.js Static Site on Kinsta
You can set up an Elder.js static site on Kinsta by forking our quick start example and deploying it to our Application hosting. This will provide you with a URL that loads up your static site within minutes.
How To Choose The Best Svelte Static Site Generator for Your Website
When it comes to choosing the best Svelte SSG, there are a few things to consider:
Project Requirements
This is what you should first think about before choosing or making any decision on a Svelte SSG.
Ask yourself what type of website you want to build, how complex it will be, and what features and functionality it will need. This will help you narrow down your options.
Developer Experience
Always look for an SSG with features that offer a great developer experience, such as a built-in development server, hot reloading, and clear documentation. This will help make the development process seamless and efficient, enabling you to build your website faster and with less frustration.
Community Support
Finally, it is important to consider the level of community support available. Find a Svelte SSG with an engaged community that can offer help and support whenever needed. This way, you’ll be able to get answers to your questions and troubleshoot any issues that arise as you build your website.
Summary
Static site generators (SSGs) are becoming increasingly popular due to their speed, simplicity, and enhanced security. They are particularly useful for building websites that don’t require dynamic content or functionality from a server.
Using Svelte-based SSGs could give you even more advantages because it provides additional features from the Svelte framework, including a smaller bundle size and rapid rendering. As a result, Svelte-based SSGs are an excellent choice for creating static sites that load quickly and operate efficiently.
You can host your static website with Kinsta’s Application Hosting for free, and if you like it, upgrade to our Hobby Tier plan.
Are you considering trying out a static site generator that uses Svelte for your next project? Have you ever used one? Let us know in the comments!
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