A static site generator is a tool that generates a full static HTML website based on raw data and a set of templates. Essentially, a static site generator automates the task of coding individual HTML pages and gets those pages ready to serve to users ahead of time. Because these HTML pages are pre-built, they can load very quickly in users' browsers.

Static site generators are an alternative to content management systems (CMS) — another type of tool for managing web content, generating webpages, and implementing templates. (A template is a reusable format for web content; developers use templates to avoid writing the same formatting over and over.) Static site generators are typically part of a JAMstack web development approach.

A static website is made up of one or more HTML webpages that load the same way every time. Static websites contrast with dynamic websites, which load differently based on any number of changing data inputs, such as the user's location, the time of day, or user actions. While static webpages are simple HTML files that can load quickly, dynamic webpages require the execution of JavaScript code within the browser in order to render.

A frontend framework is a collection of files and folders of prebuilt code to help with the design and formatting of a website. Common frontend frameworks include React, Gatsby JS and Next.js, though there are many others.

Frontend frameworks are extremely helpful when developers are initially building a website. However, frontend frameworks on their own do not generate HTML webpages, unless a developer uses additional tools. A static site generator can be used along with a framework for a developer to rapidly get a fully designed website or application ready for use. Most static site generators allow developers to use any framework they want.

The Jamstack architecture has many benefits, whether you’re building a large e-commerce site, SaaS application or personal blog.