Getting Started with Astro

Getting Started with Astro

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Jane Doe

Astro is a new static site generator that offers an innovative approach to building websites. It allows you to use your favorite JavaScript framework (React, Vue, Svelte, etc.) but then renders the components to HTML at build time, resulting in zero JavaScript sent to the browser by default.

Why Astro?

Astro was created with a "content-first" mindset. It's perfect for content-heavy websites like blogs, marketing sites, and portfolios. Here are some key benefits:

  • Performance: By default, no JavaScript is sent to the browser, resulting in extremely fast page loads.
  • Framework-agnostic: Use React, Vue, Svelte, or plain HTML/CSS/JS - or mix and match!
  • Partial Hydration: Only ship JavaScript for interactive components, keeping pages lightweight.
  • Developer Experience: Familiar syntax and excellent tooling make development a breeze.

Getting Started

To create a new Astro project, you can use the following command:

npm create astro@latest

This will guide you through setting up a new Astro project. Once installed, you can start the development server with:

npm run dev

Creating Pages

In Astro, pages are created as .astro files in the src/pages directory. Each .astro file becomes a route in your site based on its file path.

Here's a simple example of an Astro page:

---
// src/pages/index.astro
---


  
    My Astro Site
  
  
    
Welcome to my website!

Conclusion

Astro offers a refreshing approach to building websites, focusing on content-first development while still allowing for interactive components when needed. Its performance benefits and developer-friendly experience make it worth considering for your next project.

← Back to all posts

Comments

Leave a comment