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Code & Deliverynoun · /ˈstætɪk saɪt ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃən/

static site generation

In simple English

Static site generation (often abbreviated as SSG) is a modern approach to building and deploying websites that pre-renders content into static HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files during the build process. This contrasts with traditional dynamic sites that generate pages on demand when a user visits. Popular tools like Next.js, Hugo, Jekyll, and Gatsby use this approach. In tech companies, developers use static site generation for blogs, documentation, marketing websites, and other content-heavy sites because it offers significant performance benefits, improved security, and lower server costs. The pages load extremely fast since they are just static files served directly by the CDN or web server, rather than requiring server-side computation. The workflow typically involves writing content in Markdown or another format, running a build command that processes and generates HTML files, and then deploying those generated files. This approach is increasingly popular for modern web development because it combines the simplicity of static files with the flexibility of dynamic content management.

Understand what static site generation is, why it is used, and how it differs from dynamic site generation.

At a glanceCEFR C1
Commonness4/5
Versatility4/5
FormalityCasualFormalNeutral
Spoken ↔ WrittenSpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ DiplomaticDirectDiplomaticDirect
RegionUS and UK
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Say it like this

✓We are using static site generation for our landing page
✓Static site generation gives us faster performance out of the box
✓Let us rebuild with static site generation to cut down on server load

Real examples

in a standup

"We decided to move the blog to static site generation so deployment would be faster and simpler."

in a code review

"This component works well with static site generation because it is pre-rendered at build time."

in a team meeting

"Static site generation will help us reduce our server costs while keeping page load times under 100ms."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Do not confuse with dynamic site generation. Static site generation builds pages at build time, not at request time. Also, avoid using it to mean simply having static HTML files without a build process.

✕Static site generation means we cannot have any dynamic content.
✓Static site generation pre-renders most content at build time, but we can still add client-side interactivity with JavaScript.— SSG sites can include dynamic features like forms and animations that run in the browser after the static HTML loads.
✕We will static site generation the website next week.
✓We will implement static site generation for the website next week.— Static site generation is a noun and development approach, not a verb. Use verbs like implement, migrate, or switch to when discussing the action.
✕Static site generation is slower than dynamic sites because it pre-generates pages.
✓Static site generation produces faster load times because pages are pre-generated and served directly from a CDN.— Pre-generation actually improves performance by eliminating server-side computation for each request.

Other forms

noun

static site generation

"Static site generation is the process we use to build our documentation portal."

noun

SSG

"We chose SSG tools like Next.js and Hugo for this project."

adjective

static-site-generated

"Our static-site-generated blog loads in under 50 milliseconds."

Often used with

implement static site generationCommonly used when discussing the decision to adopt this approach
migrate to static site generationUsed when moving an existing project from dynamic to static generation
static site generation toolsRefers to frameworks and platforms that enable SSG, such as Next.js, Gatsby, or Hugo
static site generation frameworkDescribes specific platforms built for creating static sites
static site generation benefitsDiscusses advantages like performance, security, and cost reduction

Similar words

SSGAbbreviation for static site generation, commonly used in conversations and documentation
pre-renderingRelated concept that emphasizes generating pages before deployment, though it can also apply to rendering some pages at request time
JamstackBroader architectural approach that often uses static site generation as part of the JavaScript, APIs, and Markup stack

Opposites

dynamic site generationserver-side renderingon-demand rendering

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Pick the most natural phrasing

1. Your company wants to speed up the blog. What would you say?

Complete the sentence

2. Our team decided to _______ to static site generation because it reduces server costs.

Spot the mistake

3. Which sentence uses static site generation incorrectly?

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite this in natural tech English using static site generation: 'We need to make the pages ahead of time instead of when people ask for them so it is faster.'

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "static site generation" in a standup this week?

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