The Impact of Edge Computing on Static Site Generation

Static site generation (SSG) is a popular way to create fast and easy-to-host websites. Many tools exist for SSG, and new methods like Jamstack are making it even more useful. Edge Computing is a fresh option that makes SSG even better by enabling the creation of more dynamic sites on a static base, bringing resources closer to users. This piece looks at how recent changes in edge computing affect SSG.

Historically, websites hosted static content on servers. With the rise of content management systems (CMSs), websites became more dynamic, allowing changes through online editors. This brought complexity, as servers now needed to do more work, including server-side rendering (SSR). To reduce reliance on SSR, static site generators were created. These tools build static files from user-edited content, making it possible to serve websites using simple static file servers without much dynamic functionality. The demand for quick load times contributed to the rise of Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), which use a network of servers to swiftly deliver content based on the user's location.

With the growth of commercial server providers and a decrease in self-hosting, server farms appeared. This led to new ways of trading computational power, giving rise to cloud computing. Today, you can pay for cloud services based on how much you use, rather than paying for a whole physical server. This allows for better scaling of resources and encourages unique hardware development.

Combining CDNs with the newer methods of billing for compute resources has made edge computing an attractive option for web developers. Unlike CDNs, edge computing allows for programming capabilities, letting developers customize how user requests and server responses work. This leads to quicker response times. The transition to edge computing has also sparked new tools, like edge-friendly databases, and helps to eliminate "cold starts," which refers to delays when a cloud service is first accessed.

In this context, it makes sense to look at the implications of edge computing for hosting static websites. This article seeks to answer the question: What are the technical opportunities and challenges of edge computing for static website hosting? Previous discussions around SSG highlighted the challenges of updating site content, suggesting an intermediate format for site data, and this analysis builds on that.

To explore this question, we will look at recent changes in website rendering and hosting, providing context for our findings. We will also evaluate the effectiveness of rendering a blog platform using different methods and edge service providers. The results and the potential of edge computing for SSG will be discussed later.

#Evolution of Website Rendering Techniques

Website rendering techniques have changed significantly as web technologies evolved. As the web moved from serving simple sites to complex applications, new rendering techniques emerged to tackle the challenges of website development.

#Server Side Rendering

In the 1990s, websites were mostly static, built from HTML pages served directly to users. Static sites are simply read by servers from storage and sent to users without any changes or interactivity. As the demand for dynamic content grew, servers had to adapt, enabling them to process requests, perform actions, and generate personalized responses-this is known as server-side rendering (SSR).

#Client Side Rendering and Single Page Applications

SSR was the main approach for over a decade until client-side rendering (CSR) gained popularity in the late 2000s and early 2010s. CSR improved usability by allowing pages to update without loading the entire site again, using technologies like JavaScript. This led to the development of single-page applications (SPAs) that adapt content based on user interactions.

#Static Site Generation

Static site generation (SSG) serves as a bridge between SSR and CSR. SSG compiles website assets into a format suitable for static file servers while offering benefits like security, fast load times, scaling, and efficient resource management. SSGs are particularly effective for smaller content-focused sites, although early implementations required recompiling the entire site when changes occurred. Incremental compilation techniques now allow SSGs to only update the parts affected by user changes.

There is a wide range of SSG tools available, with numerous options for developers to choose from, increasing their ability to create effective static sites.

Jamstack, introduced in 2016, addresses limitations in traditional SSG models by decoupling content from layout. It works well with headless CMSs, where content is available via APIs for other applications to consume. Jamstack sites can still be hosted on static servers, benefitting from similar advantages as SSGs, while relying on external services for added dynamic functions like authentication.

#Incremental Static Regeneration and Distributed Persistent Rendering

Modern frameworks like Next.js combine SSR, CSR, and SSG, allowing a mix of rendering methods to suit specific needs. Next.js introduced incremental static regeneration (ISR), which allows SSG to refresh portions of content without rebuilding the entire site. This on-demand approach provides a balance between static generation and dynamic content.

Another approach, distributed persistent rendering (DPR), was introduced to tackle some of ISR's limitations by ensuring consistency and reducing the chances of users seeing outdated content.

#Evolution of Website Hosting

Just like rendering techniques, website hosting has also evolved. This evolution complements rendering techniques, as the two must work together for effective website development.

#Rented Servers and Virtual Machines

In the early days of the web, hosting required individuals and businesses to maintain their servers. A hosting market developed to simplify the process. Initially, companies offered space for static websites and dedicated servers for rent. This eventually led to virtual machines (VMs) that allowed resource sharing among users, freeing developers from the need to manage specific hardware.

#Content Delivery Networks

With the rise in web traffic and the realization that much of the served content remained static, CDNs emerged to distribute requests across a larger pool of servers, improving load times and reducing latency for users.

#Cloud and Serverless Computing

Cloud computing represented a leap in providing resources, separating the physical hardware from services. This transition further paved the way for serverless computing, where developers can define entry points instead of managing servers directly. Functions are triggered on demand and can access databases seamlessly.

#Edge Computing

Edge computing builds on the CDN concept, allowing computation to occur closer to users. Instead of merely delivering content, edge computing offers the ability to run code where it's needed, improving performance and adapting to network conditions. This approach poses new challenges, particularly for database management, and sparks discussions on optimizing content delivery based on user experience.

#Edge Databases

The distributed nature of edge computing has led to the advent of edge databases designed specifically for this environment. These databases address the challenges of traditional systems, offering solutions like Cloudflare D1, an SQLite-based relational database, and various key-value (KV) stores optimized for speed and low latency.

Developers benefit from the simplified interactions that edge databases provide, but they must also consider backup options to avoid vendor lock-in, as these databases are often closely tied to edge computing platforms.

#Technical Opportunities and Challenges of Edge Computing for Static Website Hosting

The latest advancements in rendering techniques and edge computing allow the traditional limitations of SSG to be addressed while retaining their advantages. Edge computing enables interception of user requests, along with the option to allow the edge network to act independently and generate suitable responses.

Edge computing supports hybrid websites that combine static and dynamic elements. The islands architecture represents one way to implement this concept, enhancing the capability of SSGs in providing rich user experiences.

However, concerns about vendor lock-in persist, as edge platforms have unique requirements that may make switching difficult. Collaboration initiatives among different platforms may help solve compatibility issues, allowing developers more flexibility in how they use their technology.

To examine these implications, we benchmarked a static site against one hosted on an edge platform. We expected their performance to be quite similar but anticipated some latency costs depending on caching strategies. We also looked into the ISR method as a hybrid approach between SSG and SSR.

#Measurement of Performance

Performance measurements for the various implementations were conducted using well-known testing tools to assess the effectiveness of each site variant. The goal was to capture key performance indicators while maintaining a focus on user interactions.

Our testing procedures involved creating a simplified version of a blog platform with different update constraints, allowing for comparisons between static generation, SSR, and ISR. We measured metrics like First Contentful Paint (FCP) and server response time to understand how the various methods performed.

#Results Summary

Our benchmarking revealed that SSG consistently outperformed SSR. However, edge-hosted versions performed comparably to static sites after a cache was established. The findings also showed that while initial requests faced some delays, subsequent requests benefited from caching mechanisms, achieving results similar to SSG.

Additionally, we observed variations in performance based on the details of the implementation and the total number of blog posts or data being processed. Notably, while the SSR variant performed similarly to ISR for the first request, caching helped ISR catch up to SSG in later requests.

#Expanding Testing with User Comments

To expand the potential of our study, we considered options for adding user comments to the blog. Several methods were identified, including using third-party services, static rendering with edge workers, or treating the comment section as an island.

Each option has its advantages and disadvantages. While third-party services simplify integration, they come with reliability and size issues. On the other hand, the latter options provide flexibility but require more technical complexity.

#Conclusion

We started our exploration with the question: What are the technical opportunities and challenges of edge computing for static website hosting? Our findings indicate that edge computing indeed expands SSG's usefulness by allowing for greater dynamism in web applications. Techniques like the islands architecture show potential for rich content delivery while maintaining the performance advantages of SSG.

Our evaluation demonstrates the compatibility of SSG and edge computing, highlighting their joint capabilities in creating high-performing web solutions. Nevertheless, there are still questions that need answering regarding techniques, their appropriateness in various scenarios, and their limitations.

As the landscape continues to evolve, it will be crucial to delve deeper into how these technologies can work together, including understanding the cost differences between using edge platforms and more traditional methods of hosting. Exploring optimizations, caching strategies, and user experience will provide further insights into how the web can be improved.

The results of this study invite further exploration across various dimensions, including the sweet spots for different development techniques and the effects of emerging frameworks that align with edge computing. As technology progresses, understanding these aspects will be key to shaping the future of static website generation and hosting.