Getting Started with Astro: The Content-First Framework

What is Astro?

Astro is a modern web framework that prioritizes performance and developer experience. Unlike traditional frameworks that ship entire JavaScript bundles to the client, Astro uses a technique called partial hydration to only send JavaScript for interactive components.

Key Benefits

🚀 Performance First

Astro generates static HTML by default, resulting in incredibly fast page loads. Your content is immediately visible without waiting for JavaScript to download and execute.

🎨 Framework Agnostic

Use React, Vue, Svelte, or any other framework - all in the same project! Astro lets you use the right tool for each component.

📝 Content Collections

Built-in support for type-safe content management with Zod schema validation. Perfect for blogs, documentation, and portfolios.

Simple Example

---
import { getCollection } from "astro:content";

const posts = await getCollection("blog");
---

<ul>
  {
    posts.map((post) => (
      <li>
        <a href={`/blog/${post.slug}`}>{post.data.title}</a>
      </li>
    ))
  }
</ul>

Conclusion

Astro represents a shift toward content-first development with modern tooling. If you’re building a site where content is king, Astro should be on your radar.