why i choose Astro
Updated July 2024There are more than a few choices when looking for frameworks and component libraries in 2024.
Astro is a static-site generator with zero JavaScript up-front.
Astro is great for any real website, with or without a front end, because you will be able to build the fastest website possible using the framework(s) you prefer.
Syntax and Code
Astro components (.astro files) are a similar to Vue SFC components (.vue files) for encapsulating HTML, scripts, and styling within a template; however, Astro components are exclusively server-side-- they render as HTML at build time or on-demand.
Pages, layouts, and widgets in Astro are all "components."
Client-side interactivity can be added with vanilla JS or with isolated front-end components from a framework, such as Vue or React. (See Astro Integrations.)
.astro syntax is JSX-like HTML, with CSS and Javascript or Typescript.
CSS frameworks like Tailwind are supported.
Unparalleled page load speed
Astro maximizes static assets, minimizes client-side script, and optimizes hydration with full control incuding interactive Astro Islands. This gives your website the best possible speed performance.
Unless a website is a small webapp, or is a complex front-end like Twitter or Facebook, it doesn't make sense to use SPA technology. SPA is overkill for most websites with a navigation structure. With Astro, your website can be a custom hybrid of rendering modes with selective hydration.
Websites perform faster with static server-generated assets that are cached, and static pages are easier for search engines to crawl and index.
Astro islands
Astro embraces a design pattern called the islands architecture.
...the islands architecture encourages small, focused chunks of interactivity within server-rendered web pages
Astro components can use Slots to hold interactive components. These placeholders are used for dynamic regions, which are selectively hydrated on the client.
More Features
- State management: Astro Nano Stores is a super small state manager for sharing state between framework components. We use this for front-end component state and non-UI logic.
- Database: It's the easiest database I've used, and it's CDN hosted. Astro Studio (beta) is a user interface to your databases, and you can run SQL queries there.
- Actions: Astro Actions are a great alternative to calling API endpoints.
- View Transitions: It is incredibly easy to enable SPA-mode for static pages and/or SSR pages. You can fine-tune transitions, fallback control and animations, and you can add actions to view transition router events.
Some alternatives
My list of favorites (from 2023) in approximately descending order.
- Inkline: my favorite component library with excellent color control and other components; does not force Sass, but exposes some Sass variables and generates styling for you; Vite compatibility is great, and no technology is forced on the developer, except for the Inkline grid system—these bootstrap-like grid systems are common, but they unfortunately break style-free HTML;
- F3 is a PHP 'micro-framework'—my first choice for PHP-based websites; no troubles, and a pleasure to use;
- Vuesax—a component framework for Vuejs in Beta, which provides a lot of freedom (Sass and Bootstrap are not required);
- Vitepress—perfect for documentation sites;
- Vuetify—a fantastic library of components that is great if you're already planning to use Sass and Bootstrap;
- PrimeVue—a promising component library that currently forces you to use Sass/SCSS but plans to change that soon!
- Middlemarch is a SPA template available in both Vue + Vite + Pinia and React flavors—it shows how you might structure a SPA with pages, etc;
- Vuestic UI—a large Vue UI framework;
- Wave UI is a lightweight Vuejs UI framework;
- Keen UI—a simple Vue UI library, "inspired by Google's Material Design."
- Naïve UI—small component library for Vue 3.
#astro #vue #react #angular #ssg
#ssr #spa #mpa #hydration #transitions