Back to Hugo. . .Again.

Why I Ditched Ghost CMS and Returned to Hugo.

Hey there, tech enthusiasts! If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you might have noticed a bit of a shift in how things look and feel around here. That’s because I’ve made a big move: I’ve ditched Ghost CMS and gone back to Hugo, the static site generator that I’ve come to love all over again. I know, I know—Ghost was great for a while, but after some reflection (and a few headaches), I realized Hugo is where my heart truly lies. Let me break down why I made the switch and why I’m so excited to be back in the Hugo camp.

My Journey with Ghost CMS

I initially moved to Ghost CMS because I wanted a sleek, modern platform that was easy to use for blogging. Ghost has a lot going for it: a clean editor, built-in membership features, and a polished look right out of the box. It’s a fantastic choice for creators who want to focus on writing and don’t mind a bit of managed infrastructure. But over time, I started to feel the cracks in the foundation. Ghost, like many CMS platforms, relies on a database and a server to dynamically generate pages, and that started to clash with my goals for privacy, performance, and control. I’m a self-hosting maverick, after all—I wanted something that aligned better with my DIY ethos and my desire to keep things lean and secure.

So, after some soul-searching (and a lot of research), I decided to return to Hugo, the static site generator I’d used in the past. It wasn’t an easy decision—Ghost has its charms—but the benefits of Hugo were too good to ignore. Here’s why I made the leap.

Why Hugo Won Me Back: The Reasons That Matter

Hugo offers a fundamentally different approach to building a website compared to Ghost CMS, and for me, that difference is everything. Here are the key reasons I moved back to Hugo—and why I’m not looking back:

• Lightning-Fast Load Times with Static Sites
  Hugo generates static HTML files that are ready to serve as-is, no database queries or server-side processing required. This means my site loads blazingly fast, which is a win for both user experience and SEO. Ghost, on the other hand, dynamically generates pages on the fly, which can slow things down, especially under heavy traffic. With Hugo, I’m serving up content at warp speed, and my readers (and Google) love it.

• Enhanced Security Without a Database
  One of my biggest gripes with Ghost was its reliance on a database. Databases are a potential security risk—they’re a target for hackers, and if something goes wrong, you’re in for a world of pain. Hugo, being a static site generator, doesn’t need a database at all. Once my site is built, it’s just a collection of static files. No database, no vulnerabilities to SQL injections or other exploits. It’s a much safer way to run a site, especially for a privacy-conscious geek like me.

• Minimal Space Requirements
  Ghost CMS, with its database and server dependencies, takes up a fair amount of space and resources. Hugo, by contrast, is incredibly lightweight. My entire site—hundreds of blog posts, images, and all—takes up just a few megabytes of storage. That’s a huge deal when you’re self-hosting on a small server or VPS. Less space means lower costs and easier backups, which is a win in my book.

• A Fun, Hands-On Project
  Let’s be real: I’m a tech geek who loves a good DIY challenge. Hugo is a playground for someone like me. From tweaking templates to optimizing my build process, working with Hugo feels like a fun project that I can tinker with endlessly. Ghost, while user-friendly, felt too “done for you.” I missed the sense of ownership and creativity that Hugo gives me. Plus, learning more about Hugo’s ecosystem—like its powerful templating system and the “aliases” feature for redirects—has been a blast.

• Complete Control Over My Site
  With Ghost, I always felt like I was at the mercy of its ecosystem. Updates could break things, and I had to rely on their infrastructure to keep my site running. Hugo gives me total control. I can host my site anywhere—on a cheap VPS, a Raspberry Pi, or even a static hosting service like Netlify. I’m not locked into any platform, and I can customize every aspect of my site without worrying about compatibility issues or third-party constraints.

• Cost Savings That Add Up
  Ghost isn’t free if you want the full experience. Whether you’re paying for their managed hosting or self-hosting with a VPS, the costs can add up—especially when you factor in the server resources needed to run a database-driven site. Hugo, on the other hand, is completely free to use, and because it’s so lightweight, I can host my site on the cheapest of servers without breaking a sweat. My wallet is thanking me for this switch.

• Better for Privacy and Offline Work
  As someone who’s passionate about privacy, I love that Hugo lets me work offline and keep my data close. I can write, build, and test my site locally without ever connecting to the internet. Ghost, being a CMS, often requires an active connection for certain features, and I wasn’t thrilled about the potential for data leaks or tracking. Hugo aligns perfectly with my goal of keeping my digital footprint as small as possible.

• Easier Content Management with Markdown
  Hugo uses Markdown for content, which I find much more flexible and portable than Ghost’s editor. I can write my posts in any text editor, store them in a Git repository, and version-control my entire site. If I ever decide to switch platforms again (though I doubt I will), my content is already in a universal format that I can take anywhere. Ghost’s content, while exportable, felt more tied to its ecosystem, which made me uneasy.

The Transition: A Few Hiccups, But Worth It

Moving from Ghost to Hugo wasn’t without its challenges. I had to migrate all my posts, set up redirects for old URLs (shoutout to Hugo’s aliases feature for making that easy), and redesign my site to match Hugo’s templating system. It took a weekend of focused work, but the payoff has been incredible. My site is faster, more secure, and completely under my control. Plus, I had a lot of fun geeking out over the process—something I wouldn’t have gotten with Ghost.

Final Thoughts: Hugo Is My Home

Switching back to Hugo has been one of the best decisions I’ve made for my blog. It aligns perfectly with my values as a self-hosting, privacy-focused tech geek who loves a good DIY project. I’m not saying Ghost CMS is bad—it’s a great tool for many creators—but for me, Hugo offers the speed, security, and flexibility I need to run my site the way I want to.

If you’re thinking about making the switch to a static site generator like Hugo, I say go for it. It’s a rewarding journey that’ll give you more control over your digital presence and save you some headaches (and cash) in the long run. Have you made a similar switch, or are you considering it? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear your thoughts!