I'm mostly experienced with deploying WordPress sites, but I've noticed that many clients simply need a few basic, static pages—like a restaurant's website. I'm considering if it might be better to just use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for these simpler projects instead of WordPress, given the abundance of themes available there. Do you have any suggestions for free or paid templates for straightforward static sites? Also, how do you typically approach creating these basic sites with just a few pages?
4 Answers
I recommend checking out some static site generators if you want a more streamlined process. Platforms like Astro are super flexible, and they have tons of starter templates to help you get going. They're especially handy if you're working with more dynamic content.
For websites that don't need updates for a long time, stick to plain HTML and CSS. If there’s any chance they’ll need updates down the line, I recommend using a Static Site Generator like Hugo or Eleventy for a bit of flexibility.
Great point! It really depends on how often the site will need changes.
If you're looking for templates, consider using Hugo or 11ty. Both have solid themes you can leverage. I built my entire business model around creating these types of sites, and using template libraries helps speed things up quite a bit.
I love using Hugo! The themes are really helpful in getting your projects started quickly.
Using plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is a great approach for simple static sites. I've built a bunch of them like this, and they work perfectly for businesses that don’t make frequent updates. It saves you from dealing with plugin maintenance and keeps deployment quicker and cheaper. Plus, you can easily reuse your code after you've built a few!
Exactly! Keeping it simple is key. Most small businesses only need basic functionality, which can definitely be achieved with vanilla JS.
Astro is definitely my top pick too! It's a bit overkill for some sites, but the flexibility is awesome.