Skip to content
Balzac

Getting Started

Get up and running with Balzac in minutes.

What is Balzac?

Section titled “What is Balzac?”

Balzac is a fast, memory-safe static site generator built with Rust. It features:

  • Handlebars templating - Logic-less, familiar templates
  • Content collections - Organize Markdown content easily
  • Fast builds - Rust-powered performance
  • Simple configuration - Minimal setup, maximum flexibility
  • Build hooks - Customize the build process
  • Vite integration - Modern asset bundling support

Installation

Section titled “Installation”

Install Balzac using Cargo:

Terminal window
cargo install balzac

Quick Start

Section titled “Quick Start”

Create a simple site in 4 steps:

1. Create Project

Section titled “1. Create Project”
Terminal window
mkdir my-site
cd my-site

2. Add Configuration

Section titled “2. Add Configuration”

balzac.toml:

[global]
site_name = "My Site"

3. Create Page

Section titled “3. Create Page”

pages/index.hbs:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <body>
    <h1>{{site_name}}</h1>
    <p>Hello, Balzac!</p>
  </body>
</html>

4. Build

Section titled “4. Build”
Terminal window
balzac build

Your site is ready in dist/!

Next Steps

Section titled “Next Steps”

Why Balzac?

Section titled “Why Balzac?”

Memory Safe

Section titled “Memory Safe”

Built in Rust for guaranteed memory safety. No null pointer exceptions, no data races, no crashes.

Fast

Section titled “Fast”

Rust performance means lightning-fast builds, even for large sites.

Simple

Section titled “Simple”

Minimal configuration, sensible defaults, and familiar Handlebars templates make it easy to get started.

Flexible

Section titled “Flexible”

Build hooks, custom helpers, and Vite integration give you the power to create exactly what you need.

Production Ready

Section titled “Production Ready”

Used in production sites with stable releases and active development.