Frustrated with the complexity and performance overhead of dynamic CMS platforms like WordPress, the author developed BSSG, a static site generator written entirely in Bash. Driven by a desire for simplicity, speed, and portability, they transitioned their website from WordPress to this custom solution. BSSG utilizes Pandoc for Markdown conversion and a templating system based on heredocs, offering a lightweight and efficient approach to website generation. The author emphasizes the benefits of this minimalist setup, highlighting improved site speed, reduced attack surface, and easier maintenance. While acknowledging potential limitations in features compared to full-fledged CMS platforms, they champion BSSG as a viable alternative for those prioritizing speed and simplicity.
The blog post "BSSG – My journey from dynamic CMS to bash static site generator" by Dragas details the author's process of creating a static site generator written entirely in Bash, named BSSG, and the motivations behind this project. Dragas begins by expressing dissatisfaction with existing static site generators, finding them either too complex, requiring specific programming language knowledge, or lacking desired features. This dissatisfaction stemmed from a desire to migrate away from a dynamic CMS, likely due to its perceived overhead and potential security vulnerabilities. The author sought a simpler, faster, and more secure approach for managing their personal website.
The post then delves into the technical aspects of BSSG, explaining its core functionalities and design choices. It uses a directory structure where Markdown files represent content and a designated templates folder holds HTML templates. BSSG leverages the pandoc command-line tool for converting Markdown to HTML, allowing for flexibility in handling different Markdown flavors and potential future expansion to support other markup languages. The generator iterates through the Markdown files, applies the appropriate HTML template using sed for variable substitution, and outputs the resulting HTML files to a public directory, ready for deployment. The templating system utilizes simple placeholder variables, making it easy to customize the site's appearance and structure.
Dragas highlights the simplicity and speed of BSSG as key advantages, attributing this to the efficiency of Bash scripting and the minimalist approach to dependencies, relying primarily on readily available command-line tools. The author further emphasizes the portability and ease of use, particularly on systems with Bash pre-installed. The blog post provides a concise overview of the installation process, essentially involving cloning the BSSG repository and making the primary script executable. It also outlines the basic usage, including creating new content files, modifying templates, and generating the static site.
Furthermore, the post touches on the project's future direction, hinting at potential enhancements such as incorporating features like RSS feed generation and sitemap creation. The author expresses a hope that BSSG will be a useful tool for others seeking a lightweight and straightforward static site generator, particularly those comfortable working within a Bash environment. The overall tone conveys enthusiasm for the project and a strong belief in the benefits of a simplified, streamlined approach to website generation. The author invites feedback and contributions, signaling a desire for community involvement in the project's ongoing development.
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https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43837751
HN commenters generally praised the author's simple, pragmatic approach to static site generation, finding it refreshing compared to more complex solutions. Several appreciated the focus on Bash scripting for its accessibility and ease of understanding. Some questioned the long-term maintainability and scalability of a Bash-based generator, suggesting alternatives like Python or Go for more complex sites. Others offered specific improvements, such as using
rsyncfor deployment and incorporating a templating engine. A few pointed out potential vulnerabilities in the provided code examples, particularly regarding HTML escaping. The overall sentiment leaned towards appreciation for the author's ingenuity and the project's minimalist philosophy.The Hacker News post titled "BSSG – My journey from dynamic CMS to bash static site generator" has generated a moderate number of comments, with a discussion focused on the simplicity and performance benefits of static site generators (SSGs), particularly those using bash scripting.
Several commenters express appreciation for the author's minimalist approach. One commenter highlights the refreshing nature of seeing someone building a site generator with bash, emphasizing the appeal of its simplicity and the avoidance of complex dependencies. They draw a parallel to using simpler tools like
sedandawkfor similar tasks, appreciating the back-to-basics philosophy.Another commenter echoes this sentiment, pointing out that while more sophisticated SSGs might seem initially attractive, they often come with a learning curve and increased complexity. This commenter emphasizes the benefit of understanding exactly how everything works in a simpler system, which can lead to greater control and faster troubleshooting.
The performance advantages of SSGs are also a recurring theme. One comment specifically mentions the significant speed boost that comes from serving pre-generated static files, contrasting it with the overhead and potential latency issues of dynamically generating content.
The discussion also touches on the trade-offs between simplicity and functionality. One commenter questions the practicality of the bash-based approach for larger sites with complex features, while acknowledging its suitability for smaller, simpler projects. This leads to a brief exchange about the scalability of the solution and the potential need for more robust tools as website requirements grow.
A few comments delve into specific technical details. One commenter suggests an improvement to the bash script using 'find' for improved file handling. Another commenter asks about the author's method for handling image optimization, hinting at the potential complexities even within a minimalist approach.
Overall, the comments reflect a general approval of the author's simple and efficient approach, while acknowledging the inherent limitations of a bash-based SSG for more complex projects. The discussion highlights the ongoing appeal of minimalist tools and the benefits of understanding the underlying mechanics of one's website generation process.