I used to spend more time updating plugins than writing
Every few weeks, I’d log into WordPress, only to be greeted by the same red dots:
- Core update available.
- 12 plugins outdated.
- Backup plugin error.
What started as a simple blogging platform had turned into a maintenance treadmill. Slow load times, bloated themes, security warnings, and creeping complexity had eroded what made WordPress useful to me in the first place.
So I moved on.
After years with WordPress, I migrated my entire website to Hugo: a fast, modern static site generator. No regret, no looking back. Here’s why.
The core reasons I made the switch
Performance was a problem and SEO paid the price
WordPress was dragging. Despite using caching plugins, image optimizers, and trying multiple themes, my page load times were consistently poor. Google noticed. My SEO scores reflected it.
With Hugo, pages are pre-rendered as static HTML. They load near-instantly. Lighthouse and PageSpeed scores shot up. No server round-trips. No backend bottlenecks.
CI/CD made me faster, not slower
With Hugo, I hooked up a simple Git-based CI/CD pipeline. Commit to GitHub → deploy via Hostinger → live in seconds. Compare that to the WordPress flow: log in, navigate to the editor, save draft, preview in another tab, publish, clear cache, hope for the best.
Now, I edit in my Markdown editor, preview locally, and publish with a push.
I wanted to write in Markdown; not fight the Block Editor
WordPress’s Block Editor felt clunky and invasive. Writing a post became a formatting exercise. With Hugo, I write in plain Markdown. Focused, fast, distraction-free. I can version-control my posts and keep everything local until I’m ready to publish.
Bloated plugins and theme dependencies had to go
Most WordPress sites rely on dozens of plugins: SEO, image compression, forms, security patches, backups, performance tweaks… Each plugin adds weight and attack surface.
With Hugo, there’s no PHP, no MySQL, no plugins yelling for attention. Just content, templates, and a fast binary.
I wanted full control over my codebase
WordPress hides complexity behind layers of GUI and theme customization. Good for some, but I wanted to own my tech stack. Hugo gives me full control over structure, theming, deployment, and performance. It’s just static files and code—versioned, transparent, portable.
Local preview is instant
Hugo’s local dev server is a dream. Type hugo server, and I get a live preview with hot reload in milliseconds. No staging site, no sandbox environment, no surprises.
From frustration to flow
This wasn’t about being trendy or chasing a new toy. It was about getting back to a setup that respects my time, minimizes friction, and gives me confidence that what I build works the way I intended: fast, secure, and future-proof.
Before/After Snapshot
| Feature | WordPress | Hugo |
|---|---|---|
| Load time | 2–5s (with caching) | < 500ms |
| Write workflow | Web-based block editor | Local Markdown + Git |
| Deployment | Manual + plugin-based | Automated via CI/CD |
| Maintenance | High (core + plugins + theme updates) | Minimal |
| SEO Score (Lighthouse) | 60–80 | 90–100 |
| Site control | Theme/plugin constrained | Full ownership of layout & logic |
Should you migrate too?
It depends. Hugo isn’t for everyone. There’s a learning curve. You’ll need to get comfortable with Git, the terminal, and static site concepts. But if you’re technical or tired of WordPress slowing you down it’s definitely worth it.
Your site will be faster, leaner, and fully under your control.
Want to try it?
I’ll share my setup in on my Github repo , including:
- My CI/CD pipeline using GitHub Actions
- Theme customization tips (I’m using PaperMod)
- Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
Or if you want any questions, reach out and I’m happy to point you in the right direction.