Generating Static Websites the Functional Programming Way

Static site generators like Jekyll, Zola, and Hugo are effective, but fall short for complex sites like personal encyclopedias, wikis, or sites with rich content. Features like backlinks and transclusions require richer context and efficient builds. This talk explores the theory behind static site generation (as a case of build systems) and shows how to implement advanced features inspired by Project Xanadu using YOCaml, a static site framework based on functional abstractions (such as strong profunctors) in OCaml.