# What Is Static Site Generation (SSG)? > Static site generation builds every page into ready-made HTML before anyone visits, so pages load fast and crawlers read them in full. How SSG works. Source: https://pentaclay.com/glossary/static-site-generation Glossary # What is static site generation (SSG)? Static site generation (SSG) is a way of building a website in which every page is turned into a finished HTML file ahead of time, during a build step, so the server only has to send ready-made files when someone visits. Also called SSG, static rendering, pre-rendering ## How it works A static site generator takes templates and content, such as Markdown, JSON files or entries from a CMS, and runs once to produce a folder of HTML, CSS and image files. Those files are uploaded to a host or a content delivery network (CDN), which serves them from locations close to each visitor. When content changes, the site is rebuilt and redeployed. Frameworks such as Astro, Next.js, Hugo and Eleventy can all generate static pages; some also refresh individual pages after the build, which Next.js calls incremental static regeneration. ## Why it matters for B2B websites Most B2B marketing pages are the same for every visitor: services, case studies, pricing explanations, guides. Building them once and serving files is the fastest and most reliable way to deliver them. There is no database to slow down or break under traffic, and fewer moving parts to attack. Static pages also arrive as complete HTML, so search engines and AI crawlers that do not run JavaScript can read the whole page. ## Strengths and limits - Fast first load, because files come straight from a CDN - Low hosting cost and few security risks - Fully readable by every crawler - Content changes need a rebuild, which can take minutes on large sites - Anything personal to a visitor, such as a logged-in dashboard, needs server or browser rendering ## Example pentaclay.com is built with Astro, and its pages, including this glossary, are generated as static HTML from data files. Interactive parts like forms call a small server function, while the pages themselves stay static. ## How we handle it On coded projects we generate static pages wherever content is the same for every visitor and render on the server only where it has to change per request. Visual builders such as Framer and Webflow also publish pre-rendered pages, so the same benefit applies there. See [custom development](https://pentaclay.com/services/custom-development). Read next - [Custom development](https://pentaclay.com/services/custom-development) Last updated 15 November 2026 Related terms ## Terms that go with static site generation - [Server-side rendering (SSR) Server-side rendering (SSR) is a way of delivering web pages in which the server builds the complete HTML for a page when it is requested, so the browser, search engines and AI crawlers receive the full content straight away.](https://pentaclay.com/glossary/server-side-rendering) - [Client-side rendering (CSR) Client-side rendering (CSR) is a way of building web pages in which the server sends a mostly empty HTML file and the visitor’s browser runs JavaScript to fetch the content and draw the page.](https://pentaclay.com/glossary/client-side-rendering) - [Astro Astro is an open-source web framework for building fast, content-focused websites that sends pages to the browser as HTML and adds JavaScript only to the parts of a page that need to be interactive.](https://pentaclay.com/glossary/astro) - [Core Web Vitals Core Web Vitals are three measurements Google uses to judge the real-world experience of a web page: Largest Contentful Paint (loading), Interaction to Next Paint (responsiveness) and Cumulative Layout Shift (visual stability).](https://pentaclay.com/glossary/core-web-vitals) [All glossary terms](https://pentaclay.com/glossary) ## Questions about static site generation ### Can’t find your answer? Book a call and let’s talk. [Book a call](https://cal.com/pentaclay/discovery-call) Or email us at [contact@pentaclay.com](mailto:contact@pentaclay.com) Is a static site the same as an old-fashioned HTML site? The output is similar, plain HTML files, but the process is not. Pages are generated from templates and a CMS, so editors do not touch HTML and the design stays consistent. Can a static site have a blog or CMS? Yes. Content is managed in a CMS or in files, and publishing triggers a rebuild that turns it into pages. Some setups refresh only the changed pages. Can a static site have forms? Yes. Forms send their data to a form service or a small server function, while the page itself stays static. What is the difference between SSG and SSR? SSG builds pages once, before visitors arrive. Server-side rendering (SSR) builds each page when it is requested. SSG is faster and cheaper to serve; SSR suits content that changes per visitor or minute by minute. ## Your business grew up. Your website should too If customers need a demo just to understand what you sell, your website isn’t doing its job. - We sign an NDA on request. - You own the site, the code and every account once it’s paid. - Your first call is with Erfan, the founder. **Kazi Mohammed Erfan** Founder Don’t want to fill in the form? [Book a call directly](https://cal.com/pentaclay/discovery-call) ## Not sure? Ask AI about Pentaclay ### Pentaclay, in short Updated 17 Oct 2026 Pentaclay is a B2B website design agency for AI companies that sell to enterprises. We write, design and build marketing websites in Framer, Webflow and Next.js, and stay to help after launch. Pentaclay LLC is registered in New Mexico, USA; our team works from Dhaka, Bangladesh, with calls until 12:30pm US Eastern. Founded in 2023 by Kazi Mohammed Erfan, who brings 12 years of design experience.