Setting Up a Hugo Static Site

Why Hugo?

Hugo is a fantastic static site generator that combines speed, flexibility, and ease of use. I recently set up this site using Hugo, and I’m impressed with how quickly everything came together.

Getting Started

The installation process is straightforward:

# Install Hugo (macOS)
brew install hugo

# Create a new site
hugo new site my-site

# Add a theme
cd my-site
git clone https://github.com/adityatelange/hugo-PaperMod.git themes/PaperMod

Configuration

Hugo’s configuration is simple and powerful. The hugo.toml file lets you control everything from site metadata to theme settings.

Building and Deploying

One of Hugo’s greatest strengths is its build speed. Even large sites compile in seconds:

# Build the site
hugo --minify

# Preview locally
hugo server --buildDrafts

The generated static files can be deployed to any hosting service—Netlify, Vercel, GitHub Pages, or even a simple web server.

Final Thoughts

Hugo strikes the perfect balance between simplicity and power. It’s fast, flexible, and perfect for blogs, documentation sites, and portfolios.