Static Site Builder
A Ruby gem for building static HTML sites using ERB files. Simple and flexible - add your own JavaScript bundling and CSS processing as needed.
~1 minute read
About
I built this gem because I was tired of the complexity that comes with most static site generators. I wanted something that felt like Rails but produced static HTML—no server required, just compile and deploy.
The gem uses ActionView to render ERB files, giving you Rails-like layouts, pages, and partials without a full Rails application. It's intentionally simple—no built-in JavaScript bundlers or CSS frameworks. Instead, you add your own tools as needed, with setup guides provided in the documentation.
Features include automatic sitemap generation, helper auto-loading, template path annotations for debugging, and a live reload development server with WebSocket support. The generated site has no runtime dependency on the gem—everything compiles to static HTML ready for deployment to any static hosting service.
This site itself is built with it, and I use it for client projects when they need something fast and secure without a full Rails application. It's become my go-to for portfolios, documentation sites, and marketing pages.