What is Hugo?

Hugo is a popular static site generator, often referred to as “GoHugo” because of its foundation in the Go programming language. Static site generators are tools that take in content, typically written in lightweight markup languages like Markdown, and produce static HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files. Any web server can then serve these static files without needing a database or backend processing.

Here are some features and characteristics of Hugo:

• Speed: One of Hugo’s major selling points is its speed. It can generate thousands of pages in a matter of seconds.
• Single Binary: Being written in Go, Hugo is distributed as a single binary, making it easy to install and run without dependencies.
• Flexible: Hugo supports custom themes, shortcodes, and a variety of content structures, allowing users to create unique websites tailored to their needs.
• Live Reload: Hugo includes its own web server, which can be used for local development. This server can “live reload” your site as you make changes, updating the browser instantly.
• Data-Driven Content: While primarily used for content written in Markdown, Hugo also has the ability to pull in data from external sources in formats like JSON or CSV and use that data to generate content.
• Rich Content: With its built-in templating, Hugo can handle various content types, including blog posts, pages, e-commerce products, etc.
• Taxonomies: Hugo supports tags and categories for rich content organization and navigation.
• Extensible: While Hugo’s core is intentionally kept simple, it’s designed to be extensible with themes and plugins, making it suitable for various projects, from blogs to documentation sites and more.
• Community: Hugo has a large and active community that contributes to its development, provides support, and creates themes and plugins.

If you’re considering creating a static website or moving away from a dynamic CMS, Hugo is a strong contender, especially if you prioritize speed and ease of use.