Generating Static Websites the Functional Programming Way - Xavier Van de Woestyne - FUN OCaml 2025

Generating Static Websites the Functional Programming Way Xavier Van de Woestyne (Tarides) ABSTRACT 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. Session page: https://fun-ocaml.com/2025/static-websites-functional-programming/ Connect with FUN OCaml: Twitter: https://x.com/FunOCaml Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fun-ocaml.com #ocaml --- Big Thanks(TM) go to our generous sponsors who made FUN OCaml possible! * Octra Labs - https://octra.org/ - Platinum Sponsor * Ahrefs - https://ahrefs.com/ - Platinum Sponsor