Skip to main content

# Static Sites vs JavaScript Frameworks

While some static HTML can be valuable, the end goal of most applications is far more complex and requires the help of JavaScript frameworks. Any framework will do (Vue, React, Angular, Svelte, Vanilla JS, and the list goes on...), so bring your favorite to the table to get started.

## JavaScript Frameworks​

A JavaScript framework is a collection of JS libraries, rules and guidelines. Developers use a framework to create complex applications faster and more efficiently than if building from scratch. This provides developers with pre-written and functional code used to program routine features and tasks. The layer of rules and guidelines by which your project is structured and code written is what sets a framework apart from a library.

A common topic of discussion in the software community is the difference between a framework and a library. In truth, experts have suggested that the line between them can be blurry, but it is useful to make the distinction. While a framework is a full toolset that helps shape and organize your website or application, a library, on the other hand, is a collection of pre-written code snippets that are less about shaping your application and more about providing a use-as-needed library of features.

## Static Site Generators​

A Static Site Generator is a developer tool used in automating the creation of a static websites based on merging raw data with known templates. This simplifies the task of coding pages and ensure pages are pre-generated to load quickly. This makes them well suited for JAMstack applications like customer facing marketing content, docs, and blogs.