My Thoughts on Astro as a Tool

My Introduction to Astro

There I was looking for a new programming topic to study when, boom, I ran into Astro. From that point on, I wanted to learn as much as I could about Astro. The fact that one can write server-side JavaScript/TypeScript alongside a syntax that looks like HTML for basic website structure and features is incredible. Its focus on performance makes it a great static website framework.

Strengths and Highlights

Astro’s Island architecture for rendering isolated JavaScript on the page is one of its greatest strengths. It allows developers to focus on website design as well as interactivity by keeping different interactive elements of the page isolated on “Islands.” Astro’s ability to use multiple frameworks (like React, Vue, Svelte) seamlessly showcases its versatility when it comes to web development. These, along with Astro’s emphasis on build-time rendering, allow for lightweight delivery of webpages.

Challenges and Learning Curves

It didn’t take long for me to learn the basics, but lately, I’ve gotten stuck on a project idea other than this site. I chalk it up to a lack of inspiration. Not only that, but while recalling older lessons in JavaScript has come easy, finding use cases has been difficult for me. I am still very early in my web/software development journey, and I know there will be many uphill and downhill moments to come.

Use Case or Project

As stated above, I am building this site with Astro as a simple use case that I can iterate on and improve over time. I chose Astro because it was a low barrier to entry for developing this site, as well as a great place to start my learning in public.

Comparison to Other Frameworks

As far as frameworks go, Astro is very lightweight in comparison to another framework like Next.js. While Astro offers great static site development, Next.js offers a more robust framework for larger and feature-rich websites. The reason I chose Astro over Next.js for this site is simple: I needed a site, not a web app.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

I feel new developers will find Astro to be a warm welcome into the Web Development world. My key takeaway is this: If you’re looking for a highly performant static website with light to heavy interactivity, go for Astro.