Static Site Generators with GitHub Pages

Static site generators allow you to create fast, secure websites from plain text files. GitHub Pages supports several popular static site generators out of the box.

What are Static Site Generators?

Static site generators (SSGs) are tools that generate a complete static website from source files like Markdown, HTML, and CSS. They combine:

• Content (usually in Markdown)
• Templates and layouts
• Configuration files

To produce a complete website with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files.

Supported Generators

Jekyll (Default)

GitHub Pages runs Jekyll by default:

• Written in Ruby
• Built-in GitHub Pages support
• Extensive theme ecosystem
• Liquid templating language

GitHub Actions Support

With GitHub Actions, you can use any static site generator:

• Next.js: React-based framework
• Gatsby: React with GraphQL
• Hugo: Fast Go-based generator
• Nuxt.js: Vue.js framework
• VuePress: Vue.js documentation focus
• Astro: Multi-framework support

Setting Up Jekyll

Basic Setup

1. Create repository: Name it username.github.io
2. Add content: Create index.md or index.html
3. Configure: Add _config.yml file
4. Push changes: Site automatically builds and deploys

Directory Structure

my-site/
├── _config.yml
├── _layouts/
│   └── default.html
├── _posts/
│   └── 2023-01-01-hello-world.md
├── _sass/
│   └── main.scss
├── assets/
│   └── css/
└── index.md

Configuration Example

# _config.yml
title: My Blog
description: A blog about web development
url: "https://username.github.io"
baseurl: ""

# Build settings
markdown: kramdown
theme: minima
plugins:
  - jekyll-feed
  - jekyll-sitemap

# Collections
collections:
  projects:
    output: true
    permalink: /:collection/:name/

Using Other Generators with Actions

Next.js Example

# .github/workflows/deploy.yml
name: Deploy Next.js to GitHub Pages

on:
  push:
    branches: [ main ]

jobs:
  build-and-deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout
        uses: actions/checkout@v3

      - name: Setup Node.js
        uses: actions/setup-node@v3
        with:
          node-version: '18'
          cache: 'npm'

      - name: Install dependencies
        run: npm install

      - name: Build
        run: npm run build

      - name: Deploy to GitHub Pages
        uses: peaceiris/actions-gh-pages@v3
        with:
          github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
          publish_dir: ./out

Hugo Example

# .github/workflows/hugo.yml
name: Deploy Hugo to GitHub Pages

on:
  push:
    branches: [ main ]

jobs:
  build-and-deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout
        uses: actions/checkout@v3
        with:
          submodules: true
          fetch-depth: 0

      - name: Setup Hugo
        uses: peaceiris/actions-hugo@v2
        with:
          hugo-version: 'latest'

      - name: Build
        run: hugo --minify

      - name: Deploy
        uses: peaceiris/actions-gh-pages@v3
        with:
          github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
          publish_dir: ./public

Choosing a Static Site Generator

Consider These Factors

• Programming language: Choose one you're comfortable with
• Learning curve: Some are simpler than others
• Performance: Build speed and output optimization
• Ecosystem: Themes, plugins, and community support
• Features: Blog support, internationalization, etc.

Popular Options

Best Practices

Content Organization

• Use meaningful file and folder names
• Organize content logically
• Use consistent frontmatter
• Create clear navigation

Performance

• Optimize images and assets
• Use CDNs for external resources
• Minimize CSS and JavaScript
• Enable compression

SEO

• Use descriptive titles and meta descriptions
• Create XML sitemaps
• Implement structured data
• Ensure mobile responsiveness

Additional Resources