I have found the WordPress website I have been using for ilminster.net frustrating to work with. It is complex to change the theme and plugins to work exactly as I desire. It is also slower than I'd like to see and I dont really enjoy the entire Wordpress infrastructure. There seems to be 3 or 4 page editors where I prefer to write in something that looks like it was built in 2001, the Classic Editor!

So I decided to rebuild the entire site as a static site, using the same system i use for my allotmentandy.github.io website. The glorious Jigsaw by Tighten

It allows me to use Tailwind CSS in a sensible way, where I can purge unused CSS to make a smaller file and edit template files in my editor(s) of choice: I like to write my blog/pages in Sublime Text, but edit the site files in VS Code, weird i know, but that's the way i roll.

Enter Jigsaw: A Breath of Fresh Air

Jigsaw, a static site generator by Tighten, caught my attention as a modern, Laravel-based solution. Here's why it won me over: Blazing Fast Performance: With Jigsaw, my pages are pre-built and served as static HTML. This has resulted in lightning-fast load times and improved SEO rankings.

Enhanced Security: By eliminating the database and dynamic content generation, my site is now far less vulnerable to common web attacks. There's simply no backend to hack.

Simplified Workflow: I can now write my content in Markdown, push changes to Git, and let my CI/CD pipeline handle the rest. This streamlined process has freed up more time for actual writing.

Cost-Effective Hosting: Static sites can be hosted for free or at a fraction of the cost of traditional hosting. I'm now using Netlify, which offers seamless deployments and a generous free tier.

The Migration Process

• Transitioning to Jigsaw was surprisingly smooth:
• Content Export: I used WordPress's export tool to get my content out as XML.
• Markdown Conversion: I converted my posts to Markdown format, which Jigsaw uses natively.
• Template Creation: I recreated my site's design using Jigsaw's Blade templating engine.
• Asset Management: I moved my images and other assets to a CDN for improved performance.
• Build and Deploy: I set up a build process that compiles my site and deploys it to Netlify whenever I push changes to GitHub.

The Results

The switch to a static site with Jigsaw has been transformative: - My site now loads in milliseconds, providing a much better user experience. - I've seen a noticeable boost in search engine rankings due to improved performance. - My hosting costs have plummeted, while reliability has increased. - I sleep better at night knowing my site is inherently more secure. - Writing and publishing feel more streamlined and enjoyable.

Conclusion

While WordPress remains a powerful platform for many, the move to a static site with Jigsaw has been the right choice for my needs. It's allowed me to create a faster, more secure, and easier-to-maintain website. If you're facing similar challenges with your WordPress site, consider giving Jigsaw a try. The learning curve is gentle, and the benefits are substantial.

If you would like to contact me with this form on londinium.com, ilminster.net or via Twitter @andylondon