Astro websites
Does your content website really need WordPress, or just fast pages?
I build static websites with Astro for content projects, blogs and documentation. They load almost instantly, have no plugins to exploit and cost very little to host.
A large share of company websites need no database, no login and no thirty plugins. They need well-written content, a clear structure and pages that open before a visitor gives up on them. They nonetheless run on WordPress, where every request means starting PHP, querying a database and using a cache to hide the cost of both. It works, but you pay for it in speed, in update work and in a security risk you do not actually have to carry.
Astro is a modern build tool that turns your content into finished HTML pages. The static result is what gets uploaded, so there is nothing to compute on each visit and very little to attack. This is not a step back to the static pages of the nineties. Content lives in Markdown or in a headless CMS, components can still be written in React, and interactive elements work exactly where they are genuinely needed.
01
Island architecture: JavaScript only where it matters
Astro is built around what is called island architecture. A page is delivered as static HTML, and JavaScript loads only for specific components such as a search box, a filter or a form. The rest of the page needs no script at all. Compared with a conventional frontend framework the difference is clearest on phones and slower connections, where most of the waiting is not download time but script execution. Components can still be written in React if you already have them.
- Zero kilobytes of JavaScript by default
- Interactive components shipped as isolated islands
- React, Vue or Svelte in the same project
- Smaller bundles and faster interaction
02
Core Web Vitals without bolt-on optimisation
With static output, speed is not something added afterwards by a plugin. It follows from how the site is built. The server sends a finished document, images are converted into modern formats during the build, and each page loads only the CSS it actually uses. In practice that means an LCP under one second and a stable layout with no content jumping around. I measure the result before and after launch, so you get numbers rather than a claim that the site is fast.
- LCP typically under one second
- No layout shift when media dimensions are set
- Images converted to modern formats at build time
- Measured before launch and after it
03
The content this approach suits best
Astro makes the most sense when content is the core of the project. Company and product presentations, blogs, editorial magazines, technical documentation and knowledge bases are exactly the kind of site that manages well in Markdown and searches well afterwards. It handles hundreds of articles without slowing down, because each page is generated once rather than assembled on every request. On multilingual sites the advantage is that language versions share one structure, so a page cannot quietly go missing.
- Company and product presentations
- Blogs and editorial magazines
- Technical documentation and knowledge bases
- Multilingual sites sharing one structure
04
When to choose Astro and when to stay on WordPress
I do not recommend Astro for everything. If several editors change content every day and expect a visual editor, or if the site needs a shop, a membership area or bookings, WordPress remains more practical. I choose Astro where content changes at a reasonable pace and the priorities are speed, security and low running costs. There is also a middle path: keep content in WordPress as a headless source and let Astro build the fast public site from it.
- WordPress when several editors publish daily
- WordPress for shops and membership areas
- Astro when speed and security come first
- A hybrid: content in WordPress, output from Astro
05
Hosting, editing and what it costs
A static site can be hosted almost anywhere, including services costing a few euros a month, and it needs neither PHP nor a database. That also removes the routine of plugin updates and most of the security risk that comes with them. Content is managed in Markdown directly in the repository, or through a headless CMS when a non-technical colleague has to edit it. My rate is €40 per hour including VAT, and a smaller Astro content site typically falls between 15 and 35 hours.
- Hosting without PHP or a database, often a few euros
- No plugin security updates to keep up with
- Content in Markdown or a headless CMS
- A smaller site roughly 15 to 35 hours
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Frequently asked questions about Astro websites
How much does an Astro website cost?
A smaller content site typically falls between 15 and 35 hours, which is €600 to €1,400 including VAT at €40 per hour. The number of page types, language versions and whether editors need a CMS all change that range.
Can content be edited without a developer?
Yes. When a non-technical colleague maintains the content, I connect a headless CMS with a normal editor. When the author is a developer or a technical writer, Markdown in the repository is enough and the site rebuilds itself after saving.
Is Astro good for SEO?
Yes, mainly on the technical side. A search engine receives finished HTML, pages load quickly, and metadata, sitemaps and structured data are generated automatically. Rankings still come from the content itself rather than from the tool used to build it.
Can an existing WordPress site be moved to Astro?
It can, provided it has no shop and no member login. Content can be exported and moved with its original URLs so you keep your rankings. Before any move I check which features would be missing on a static site.
Can Astro handle forms and search?
It can. Forms are handled by an external service or a small serverless function, and search can be prepared during the build. Interactive parts therefore work without the whole site needing to run on a server.
Considering Astro instead of another WordPress build?
Tell me what content the site carries and who will maintain it. I will say plainly whether Astro is the better choice or would only complicate your life.
Discuss an Astro website