Nanoc
nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
What it is
Nanoc is a free static-site generator that turns content such as Markdown or AsciiDoc into HTML. It is a command-line application for local site development and generating finished sites for deployment, not a CMS; content is usually managed on the filesystem. Its scope ranges from personal blogs to corporate websites. Free-form metadata lets pages take different roles, and markup options include Markdown, AsciiDoc and Textile, with eRuby, Haml and Mustache among its template languages. Users can write custom filters and helpers or bring in data from databases and web APIs. Nanoc supports incremental builds, multilingual sites and a local preview server. Deployment integrations include Git, rsync, GitHub Pages, Bitbucket, GitLab Pages and Netlify, and the tool can run checks before deployment. Ruby 3.1 or later is required, with CRuby needed for guaranteed support. macOS and Linux are officially supported; Windows has limitations and is not officially supported. Nanoc is MIT-licensed.
Spec sheet
- What it does
- Nanoc is a flexible static-site generator that transforms content such as Markdown or AsciiDoc into HTML.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Deployment
- Nanoc integrates with various deployment mechanisms and provides a nanoc deploy command, with examples for Git, rsync, GitHub Pages, Bitbucket, GitLab Pages and Netlify.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Free plan
- YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Security
- The site says static sites do not contain dynamic content and are therefore immune to most common attacks.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- License
- Nanoc is licensed under the MIT license.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Founded
- 2007Read 28 Sep 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- CMS integration
- NoRead 20 Sep 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Content model
- Nanoc is not a CMS; it processes content that is usually managed on the filesystem.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Content sources
- databaseRead 20 Sep 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Current release
- The latest release is Nanoc 4.14.8, released on August 30th, 2026.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Deployment checks
- Nanoc can run pre-deployment checks.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Extensibility
- Nanoc lets users write custom filters and helpers.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- External data
- Nanoc can pull data from databases and web APIs.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Incremental builds
- YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Installation
- Nanoc is installed using RubyGems with the command gem install nanoc.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Local preview server
- YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Markup and templates
- Nanoc supports markup languages including Markdown, AsciiDoc and Textile, and templating languages including eRuby, Haml and Mustache.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Metadata
- Nanoc supports free-form metadata, allowing pages to be processed as articles, chapters, reviews, recipes, and other types.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Multilingual support
- YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Runtime
- Nanoc requires Ruby 3.1 or higher and the CRuby implementation for guaranteed support.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Site scale
- Nanoc is fit for building anything from a small personal blog to a large corporate website.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Support channels
- The project links to a GitHub repository, issue tracker, GitHub discussions and a Google group.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Supported languages
- RubyRead 20 Sep 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Supported systems
- Nanoc officially supports macOS and Linux; Windows is not officially supported and has some limitations.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
- Workflow
- Nanoc is a command-line application where sites are developed locally and generated sites are deployed when finished.Read 1 Oct 2026 · nanoc.denisdefreyne.com
Plans and prices
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Supports incremental builds and multilingual sites.
- Includes a local preview server.
- Can run checks before deployment.
- MIT-licensed and free.
Limits
- It is not a CMS.
- Windows is not officially supported and has limitations.
- Requires Ruby 3.1 or later.
Who it suits
Nanoc suits people comfortable with a command-line workflow who want to generate static sites from filesystem-managed content. Its metadata and extension options support projects ranging from personal blogs to corporate websites.
Verdict
Nanoc offers a flexible content-to-HTML workflow with local preview, extensibility and multiple deployment routes. Check its Ruby requirement and official platform support before adopting it.
Where Specifiction places it
- Static site generators#6 of 358.7