5 ms·

> The web framework for content-driven websites. As opposed to those driven by, what, random-number generators?

ameliaquining 1y ago
I think this means, as opposed to rich interactive web apps where everything interesting happens after the initial page load.
- betterThanTexas 1y ago
  I have no clue how you discerned this from the description, but I'd like to understand more. What can you point to on your computer that isn't "content"?
  - pcthrowaway 1y ago
    Interactive UI components aren't content, though they might affect content delivery. For example, a Javascript+HTML game might be itself considered content, but within the game the game elements and controls (mouse, player characters, NPCs, keyboard bindings) wouldn't be considered content, whereas images and dialog text might reasonably considered content again.
    - betterThanTexas 1y ago
      I don't see why interactive UI is any less content than anything else delivered over the wire. How would you express a website without it? it almost seems like the word "content" is intended to connote "profitable and dynamically-loaded assets". Why you would not use that phrase is a mystery. I suppose that "dynamically-loadable asset creator" isn't a great marketing pitch from the perspective of artists.
  - azangru 1y ago
    > I have no clue how you discerned this from the description, but I'd like to understand more. One way of understanding the meaning of a dubious phrase is examining its use in context. For example, one of the pages of the Astro docs begins as follows: "Astro is the web framework for building content-driven websites like blogs, marketing, and e-commerce" [0] Ok; so we have our prototypes — or, as Jason Miller would call them, holotypes — of the mysterious "content-driven websites". They are blogs, marketing sites, or e-commerce sites. Another way of understanding the meaning of a confusing phrase is hearing the distinction explained by the creator of the framework. In early podcasts, when Astro was still mostly unknown, Fred Schott explained that it was not intended for building something like Figma, or Photoshop, or Facebook, or Youtube; but rather something like blogs or magazines; although primarily he was probably targeting the creators of e-commerce websites, because those were the ones that could bring in money. [0] https://docs.astro.build/en/concepts/why-astro/ https://docs.astro.build/en/concepts/why-astro/
    - betterThanTexas 1y ago
      > "Astro is the web framework for building content-driven websites like blogs, marketing, and e-commerce" [0] Ok, but opposed to what? What does a non-content oriented website look like? Is a website itself not simply content? > Fred Schott explained that it was not intended for building something like Figma, or Photoshop, or Facebook, or Youtube Perhaps their tagline should be "we aren't oriented around building single page websites unlike all those other frameworks". I never would have understood that Figma, Photoshop, and Youtube were not content-oriented websites otherwise. "Content" is mostly not a meaningful phrase outside of a context which gives it meaning (i.e. it is a floating signifier).
      - azangru 1y ago
        Sure, content is anything a container contains :-) My point was though that when a dictionary definition gives an unsatisfactory reading of a sentence, then perhaps other, indirect methods should be employed to tease the meaning out.
naet 1y ago
There are "content" driven websites which are things like blogs, marketing / brochure style sites, documentation sites, etc. They are driven by content that is authored by the website owners that can then be cached or is not frequently updated by end users or external data. Then there are sites that are more application driven or service driven. Stuff like a messaging client, social media, streaming service, eCommerce, or other full on interactive web app. They tend to be more data driven or dependent on end users, and less static content. That is frequently how the word content is used in the context of web development. You might have heard of a CMS or content management system. It's not the same as someone using the word content like social media "content creator".

I think this means, as opposed to rich interactive web apps where everything interesting happens after the initial page load.

betterThanTexas 1y ago
I have no clue how you discerned this from the description, but I'd like to understand more. What can you point to on your computer that isn't "content"?
- pcthrowaway 1y ago
  Interactive UI components aren't content, though they might affect content delivery. For example, a Javascript+HTML game might be itself considered content, but within the game the game elements and controls (mouse, player characters, NPCs, keyboard bindings) wouldn't be considered content, whereas images and dialog text might reasonably considered content again.
  - betterThanTexas 1y ago
    I don't see why interactive UI is any less content than anything else delivered over the wire. How would you express a website without it? it almost seems like the word "content" is intended to connote "profitable and dynamically-loaded assets". Why you would not use that phrase is a mystery. I suppose that "dynamically-loadable asset creator" isn't a great marketing pitch from the perspective of artists.
- azangru 1y ago
  > I have no clue how you discerned this from the description, but I'd like to understand more. One way of understanding the meaning of a dubious phrase is examining its use in context. For example, one of the pages of the Astro docs begins as follows: "Astro is the web framework for building content-driven websites like blogs, marketing, and e-commerce" [0] Ok; so we have our prototypes — or, as Jason Miller would call them, holotypes — of the mysterious "content-driven websites". They are blogs, marketing sites, or e-commerce sites. Another way of understanding the meaning of a confusing phrase is hearing the distinction explained by the creator of the framework. In early podcasts, when Astro was still mostly unknown, Fred Schott explained that it was not intended for building something like Figma, or Photoshop, or Facebook, or Youtube; but rather something like blogs or magazines; although primarily he was probably targeting the creators of e-commerce websites, because those were the ones that could bring in money. [0] https://docs.astro.build/en/concepts/why-astro/ https://docs.astro.build/en/concepts/why-astro/
  - betterThanTexas 1y ago
    > "Astro is the web framework for building content-driven websites like blogs, marketing, and e-commerce" [0] Ok, but opposed to what? What does a non-content oriented website look like? Is a website itself not simply content? > Fred Schott explained that it was not intended for building something like Figma, or Photoshop, or Facebook, or Youtube Perhaps their tagline should be "we aren't oriented around building single page websites unlike all those other frameworks". I never would have understood that Figma, Photoshop, and Youtube were not content-oriented websites otherwise. "Content" is mostly not a meaningful phrase outside of a context which gives it meaning (i.e. it is a floating signifier).
    - azangru 1y ago
      Sure, content is anything a container contains :-) My point was though that when a dictionary definition gives an unsatisfactory reading of a sentence, then perhaps other, indirect methods should be employed to tease the meaning out.

naet 1y ago

There are "content" driven websites which are things like blogs, marketing / brochure style sites, documentation sites, etc. They are driven by content that is authored by the website owners that can then be cached or is not frequently updated by end users or external data. Then there are sites that are more application driven or service driven. Stuff like a messaging client, social media, streaming service, eCommerce, or other full on interactive web app. They tend to be more data driven or dependent on end users, and less static content. That is frequently how the word content is used in the context of web development. You might have heard of a CMS or content management system. It's not the same as someone using the word content like social media "content creator".