Crudem

Crudem is a minimalist, open-source static site generator designed for simplicity and speed. Created by Chris Pelsor, it is written in Python and follows a philosophy of doing as little as possible while still providing essential functionality. The name "Crudem" is a playful reference to the word "crude," emphasizing its unpolished yet functional nature.

Crudem is particularly well-suited for developers who prefer a lightweight, no-frills approach to building websites. Unlike more feature-rich generators, it avoids unnecessary complexity, focusing instead on core tasks such as rendering templates, processing content, and generating static files. This makes it ideal for personal blogs, documentation sites, or simple portfolios where performance and simplicity are prioritized.

The tool operates by processing Markdown or HTML files, applying templates, and compiling them into static HTML pages. It includes basic features like variable substitution, conditional logic, and loop constructs, allowing users to customize their sites without extensive setup. Crudem also supports plugins for extended functionality, though the ecosystem remains small compared to more established generators.

Crudem is distributed under an MIT license, ensuring free and unrestricted use. Its small footprint and minimal dependencies make it easy to install and deploy, often requiring only a single command to generate a complete website. The project is hosted on GitHub, where users can contribute, report issues, or suggest improvements.

While Crudem may lack advanced features found in other static site generators, its simplicity and efficiency appeal to developers who value clarity and performance. It serves as a reminder that sometimes, the most effective tools are those that stay out of the way.