How to create a static site with Next.js

Next.js is a powerful framework that supports different rendering modes, including Static Site Generation (SSG).

Advantages of static sites

Static sites offer several advantages:

1. Performance - Pre-rendered pages load instantly
2. SEO - Fully indexable content
3. Cost - Free hosting on services like GitHub Pages
4. Security - No server to attack

Basic configuration

To export a static site with Next.js, add to next.config.js:

const nextConfig = {
  output: 'export',
  images: {
    unoptimized: true,
  },
}

Generating the site

Run the command:

npm run build

This generates an out/ folder with all static files ready for deployment!

Deploy to GitHub Pages

GitHub Pages is perfect for hosting static sites for free. Just:

1. Push files to the repository
2. Configure GitHub Actions for automatic build
3. Enable GitHub Pages in settings

And that's it! Your site will be live at username.github.io.

Conclusion

Next.js + SSG is a powerful combination for blogs and content sites. Performance, ease of development, and zero hosting cost make this an excellent choice!