What is Hugo?
Hugo is a static site generator (SSG) written in Go (Golang). It builds websites by compiling Markdown files into static HTML/CSS/JS, making them extremely fast, portable, and easy to host anywhere.
It’s widely praised for its speed, flexibility, and simplicity.
Hugo is often called one of the fastest SSGs in the world — and it truly lives up to that name.
Why Not WordPress?
| Feature | Hugo | WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Instant page loads ⚡ | Depends on server/PHP stack 🐢 |
| Security | No backend, fewer threats 🔒 | Frequent plugin vulnerabilities ⚠️ |
| Hosting | Any static hosting (Netlify, GitHub Pages, etc.) 🌐 | Needs PHP/MySQL server ☁️ |
| Simplicity | One folder, Markdown, done 📁 | Admin panel + database 🧩 |
| Version Control | Native Git workflow ✅ | Tricky and manual ❌ |
| Learning Curve | CLI-based but logical 🧠 | GUI-friendly, less control 🎛️ |
I’ve used WordPress in the past, and while it’s powerful, it’s also heavy, bloated, and requires constant maintenance. Hugo, in contrast, lets me focus purely on writing and structure.
How Does Hugo Compare to Other SSGs?
| Feature | Hugo | Jekyll | Gatsby | Next.js |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Go | Ruby | JavaScript | JavaScript/React |
| Build Speed | Ultra fast | Slower | Moderate | Slower (dynamic routes) |
| Ease of Use | Simple | Setup issues | Requires Node/npm | More complex |
| Content Format | Markdown | Markdown | Markdown/GraphQL | MDX/JSX |
| Best For | Blogs, docs | Blogs | Complex frontends | Full-stack apps |
Each has its niche — but for a clean and focused blog, Hugo hits the sweet spot of speed, simplicity, and minimalism.
Key Advantages of Hugo
- ✅ Instant Builds — even 100+ posts build in under a second
- ✅ No dependencies — just a binary and a config file
- ✅ Powerful theming — like PaperMod
- ✅ Clean URLs — perfect for SEO and static hosting
- ✅ Write in Markdown — no distractions, just content
- ✅ Highly customizable — even without deep frontend knowledge
Minor Downsides
- ❌ Initial learning curve (especially for templates and front matter)
- ❌ Not ideal for dynamic content like comments, unless integrated (e.g., Disqus, Giscus)
- ❌ Go templating can feel foreign at first
Why Hugo Was Perfect for Me
I wanted to:
- ✅ Write in Markdown
- ✅ Deploy with Git + GitHub Pages/Netlify
- ✅ Avoid CMS logins, plugins, updates, and security issues
- ✅ Use clean, elegant themes
- ✅ Keep things fast, stable, and minimal
Hugo let me get my blog live in less than an hour, with zero backend, no database, and total control over the structure.
Final Thoughts
Hugo might not be for everyone. But if you value speed, simplicity, and total control over your content and workflow — it’s hard to beat.
And once you get used to the Go templating syntax, it’s actually kind of fun 😉
In the end, Hugo makes my writing experience feel like coding — and that’s exactly how I like it.
💬 What are you using for your blog? Have you tried Hugo? Let me know in the comments or reach out on Twitter.