Getting Started with Astro

Astro is a modern web framework that’s designed to help you build faster websites with less client-side JavaScript. In this post, we’ll explore what makes Astro special and how to get started.

What is Astro?

Astro is a web framework that focuses on content-first websites. It uses a unique “islands architecture” that allows you to ship zero JavaScript by default, and only add interactivity where you need it.

Key Features

  • Zero JS by default: Astro ships zero JavaScript to the client by default
  • Islands Architecture: Add interactivity only where needed
  • Framework Agnostic: Use React, Vue, Svelte, or any other framework
  • Content Collections: Built-in content management with type safety
  • Fast Builds: Optimized for performance

Why Choose Astro?

If you’re building a blog, documentation site, or content-focused website, Astro is an excellent choice. It combines the best parts of static site generators with modern web frameworks.

Performance Benefits

  • Faster page loads
  • Better SEO
  • Lower hosting costs
  • Improved user experience

Getting Started

To create a new Astro project, you can use the following command:

npm create astro@latest

This will guide you through setting up your project with all the necessary dependencies.

Next Steps

Once you have your project set up, you can:

  1. Create pages in the src/pages/ directory
  2. Use content collections for blog posts
  3. Add components from your favorite framework
  4. Deploy to your favorite hosting platform

Happy building!