The Jamstack Explained – The fastest website in your industry

Unlocking the Power of Jamstack Websites: A Comprehensive Overview

Jamstack: Revolutionizing Web Development The Flank 7 Web Development Team’s Journey into Jamstack

In the ever-evolving world of web development, the Flank 7 team has recently embarked on an exciting journey focused on Jamstack websites. Over the past year, we have specialized in crafting state-of-the-art, modular websites for our clients that outshine traditional websites in terms of speed, security, and scalability. In this comprehensive article, we delve into the essence of Jamstack, explaining why it holds a crucial role in the future of web development.

Exploring Jamstack: What’s in a Name? Demystifying the Jamstack Architecture

The term Jamstack, although not entirely novel, has undergone a transformation since its inception. Originally, coined in 2016 by Netlify’s CEO, Mathias Biilmann, Jamstack represented JavaScript, APIs, and Markup. However, this definition no longer encapsulates the full breadth of this revolutionary approach. Jamstack is essentially a solution to the myriad challenges posed by traditional websites, with its core philosophy rooted in harnessing the benefits of static websites. In this section, we’ll provide a detailed exploration of the key components that comprise Jamstack and how it differs from conventional web development.

Jamstack vs. Traditional Websites: A Paradigm Shift Unveiling the Distinctions

To truly grasp the essence of Jamstack, it is crucial to discern its differences from traditional websites. Traditional websites, in their early days, were static, meaning that any content changes necessitated manual coding updates. The dynamic era was ushered in by Rasmus Lerdorf’s development of PHP in the mid-1990s, enabling content updates via server or database requests, paving the way for Web 2.0. This marked the reign of the LAMP stack: Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP.

However, dynamic LAMP stack websites come with inherent limitations, as each piece of dynamic content must be generated upon user request, leading to potential delays. The Jamstack, in contrast, departs from this model by building websites in advance, at build time, rather than runtime. A Static Site Generator collects content from various sources, combines it with markup, and creates a static website, which is then delivered through a Content Delivery Network (CDN). This fundamental shift eliminates the need for runtime server requests, resulting in Jamstack websites consistently outperforming classic LAMP stack sites in terms of speed.

Dynamic Capabilities of the Jamstack Unleashing the Power of Asynchronous Content

Jamstack websites are not confined to the static nature of the past. They incorporate dynamic elements through the use of Static Site Generators that periodically update content when changes occur. Additionally, JavaScript facilitates the sending of asynchronous requests to external APIs (commonly known as AJAX) during runtime, enabling the display of dynamic features. A rich ecosystem of microservices further enhances the Jamstack’s flexibility, with options like integrating live search functions through APIs with Algolia or payment processing via Stripe. Moreover, serverless functions, offered by AWS, Netlify, and Vercel, allow for the creation of custom functions stored in the cloud and triggered via API calls.

In summary, Jamstack decouples the frontend from the backend, eliminating the need for traditional servers and databases. It combines content from user-friendly Headless Content Management Systems (CMS), various sources, and code repositories like GitHub. A Static Site Generator then assembles a static website, with dynamic content fetched from APIs as needed.

Hybrid Solutions and the Future of Web Development Next.js and Gatsby.js: The Best of Both Worlds

Next.js and, more recently, Gatsby.js offer a hybrid architecture within the Jamstack framework. This unique approach enables certain subpages to remain completely static, while other subpages or components are rendered server-side. This hybrid model empowers developers to harness the advantages of both static and dynamic approaches, providing a tailored solution for a variety of web projects.

Benefits of Embracing the Jamstack The Value Proposition

Jamstack offers a multitude of advantages over traditional websites, making it an attractive choice for modern web development. Let’s delve into the key benefits:

1. Speed Jamstack delivers unparalleled website speed, eliminating the need for round-trip server requests. Static sites are further accelerated by CDNs, ensuring consistent and fast loading times. The benefits of speed extend to:

• Enhanced user experience, leading to higher conversion rates and lower bounce rates.
• Modern perception by users, enhancing your brand’s image.
• Improved Core Web Vitals, positively influencing SEO rankings.
• Enhanced “user experience with the landing page” in Google Ads, resulting in a higher Quality Score and lower cost per click.

2. Scalability Jamstack websites are inherently scalable and resilient, capable of handling surges in user traffic without collapsing. CDNs, with their distributed edge servers, ensure reliability and consistent performance even during traffic spikes.

3. Climate Friendliness Static Jamstack websites contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by minimizing user time spent on the website and eliminating the need for servers and databases, which are frequently accessed in traditional websites. This makes them an environmentally responsible choice.

4. Security Jamstack’s decoupled architecture enhances security by eliminating common attack vectors associated with direct database and server access. This leads to improved overall website security.

Challenges and Considerations Navigating the Complexities of Jamstack

Despite its many advantages, Jamstack is not without its challenges. For highly dynamic web applications, the performance benefits of Jamstack may diminish when extensive asynchronous content delivery is required. Next.js, with its hybrid architecture, offers a solution to address this limitation.

Another consideration is the build time, which can be relatively lengthy, depending on the project’s size. This may result in delays in publishing content updates. Headless CMSs often provide preview functions to mitigate this issue, but they come with certain limitations. Additionally, WYSIWYG editors for Jamstack websites are not yet widely available.

Is it Time to Embrace Jamstack? The Road Ahead

Given the numerous advantages that Jamstack offers, it’s fair to say that it should be considered, if not embraced, for a majority of websites in today’s digital landscape. The shift towards Jamstack is evident in the increasing adoption rates, with 2020 witnessing approximately 1% of all websites using this approach, a doubling from the previous year. As users become accustomed to the speed of Jamstack websites, the transition becomes inevitable.

Consider the “adaptation” effect: As users spend more time on your Jamstack website and grow accustomed to its speed, transitioning to a competitor’s classic website results in a stark contrast in loading times, making the latter feel slow and outdated. By becoming an early adopter of Jamstack, you position yourself as a pioneer in your industry, evoking a unique user experience.

The proportion of Jamstack websites is increasing every year, but was only around 0.9% in 2020.

Demystifying Key Terms Understanding the Building Blocks

Here, we provide concise explanations of key terms related to Jamstack to ensure a comprehensive understanding:

1. AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML)

AJAX enables the asynchronous sending and receiving of data at runtime, typically in JSON format, without interrupting website construction or requiring page reloads.

2. API (Application Programming Interface)

An API serves as a software interface for communication and data exchange between software applications. Common modern APIs include SOAP, REST, and GraphQL, offering a wide array of functionalities, from retrieving random images of dogs to processing payments.

3. CDN (Content Delivery Network)

A CDN is a network of servers designed to deliver content, such as static websites, swiftly. CDNs use edge computing, ensuring files are cached on local servers and reducing load times for users. Prominent CDNs include Cloudflare and Fastly, as well as offerings from AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Netlify, and Vercel.

4. Headless CMS (Content Management System)

A headless CMS focuses on content organization without providing a frontend for content display. Content is accessed through APIs, offering flexibility and customization. Notable headless CMS options include Contentful, Prismic, Sanity, Forestry, Strapi, and Ghost.

5. SSG (Static Site Generator)

A critical tool in Jamstack, SSGs often involve JavaScript frameworks that compile content from various sources and generate a static website. Options like Gatsby.js and Next.js empower developers in Jamstack projects.

In conclusion, the Jamstack approach signifies a transformative shift in web development, offering a host of advantages in terms of speed, scalability, environmental responsibility, and security. While it may not be a one-size-fits-all solution, it has already begun reshaping the digital landscape and is poised to play a pivotal role in the future of web development. Embracing Jamstack now positions businesses and developers at the forefront of this paradigm shift, providing users with a fast, modern, and dynamic web experience.