Speed
The page is not assembled from a database on every visit. The server sends a ready-made file, and JavaScript only goes where it is really needed.
Technology
Astro websites for businesses.
Astro turns a website into ready-made HTML before it is published. Browsers and Google get the content straight away, without waiting for scripts. That is why I builds with it.
What you gain
Less code, more website.
Security
No login panel at a well-known address, no plugins and no server-side database. Far fewer things that can be attacked.
Low running costs
Static files can be hosted on CDNs, often on free or very cheap plans. There are no monthly plugin updates either.
SEO and AI assistants
All content is in the HTML from the first server response. Google and AI crawlers see the same thing as a person, without running scripts.
Design freedom
Every element is built from scratch, so the design does not have to bend to the limits of a theme or a builder.
Open source
Astro is an open-source project. Since 2026 it has been developed by a team at Cloudflare, which has said the framework will stay open.
Honestly
When Astro is the wrong choice.
Technology should fit the project, not the other way round. In these cases Double Take will tell you so.
- A large online shop, with thousands of products, a basket and order handling. Specialist e-commerce platforms are a better fit.
- A newsroom publishing every day, with a dozen people, approvals and a complex editorial workflow. That needs a proper CMS, with Astro as its front end at most.
- An app behind a login, where almost everything happens after the user signs in. That is a different kind of project from a company website.
Comparison
Astro or WordPress?
WordPress has real strengths: a convenient panel and a huge pool of developers. A company website that changes a few times a month usually gains more from Astro's simplicity.
Astro
Pros
- Very fast loading, because the browser gets ready-made HTML
- Small attack surface: no database and no login panel
- No plugins to keep updating
- Cheap or free static hosting
- Complete design freedom, no theme limits
Cons
- No admin panel out of the box: content in files or a connected CMS
- Fewer developers on the market than for WordPress
- A shop, logins or bookings need extra services
- Changing content means rebuilding the site (automatic, a few minutes)
WordPress
Pros
- A convenient editing panel straight after installation
- A huge choice of plugins and ready-made themes
- Very many developers and plenty of tutorials
- Good for frequent publishing by many authors
- Online shops through WooCommerce
Cons
- Regular updates to core, theme and plugins
- A frequent target for attacks, mostly through plugins
- Speed depends on the theme, plugins and server
- Needs hosting with PHP and a database, plus ongoing care
| Criterion | Astro | WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| How pages are built | HTML generated once, at publish time | Pages assembled from a database on each visit, often with caching |
| Updates | No plugins to update | Regular updates to core, theme and plugins |
| Typical risks | Small attack surface | A popular target, especially through outdated plugins |
| Speed | High without extra plugins | Depends on the theme, plugins and server setup |
| Content editing | Content files or a connected CMS | A convenient panel out of the box |
| Available developers | Growing, but still fewer | Very many |
Sources: Astro documentation, Cloudflare's announcement of the Astro acquisition.
Questions
Astro in practice
Is Astro too niche?
Astro is one of the popular frameworks for content-driven websites, and the code is standard HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Any front-end developer will find their way around it quickly, so you are not tied to one provider.
How do I edit content on an Astro website?
There are three ways: you ask me for changes, you edit the content files, or you use a CMS panel connected to the website. The choice depends on how often content changes, and we settle it before quoting.
Can an Astro website have a blog and forms?
Yes. A blog is a natural use for Astro. Forms send messages through a lightweight server function or an external service, without having to maintain a whole WordPress install.
How much does an Astro website cost?
The price depends mainly on the scope of the project, not on the technology itself. My pricing page explains how I quote.
First step
Make them look twice.
Tell me in a few sentences what your company does and what the new website should change. You'll get questions back, or a proposal for next steps.