• Monthly hosting costs
• Security updates
• Plugin bloat
• Slow page loads
• Database maintenance

Pycora Pro converts your WordPress site to static HTML — no database, no PHP, no monthly fees.

Here's how.

Why Migrate​

Step 1 — Export WordPress Content​

Option A: WordPress Export Tool​

1. Log in to WordPress admin
2. Go to Tools → Export
3. Select All content
4. Click Download Export File

You'll get an .xml file.

Option B: WP-CLI​

wp export --dir=./export

Step 2 — Convert to Markdown​

Use the wordpress-export-to-markdown tool:

npx wordpress-export-to-markdown

Follow the prompts. You'll get Markdown files in output/.

Step 3 — Organize Content​

Move posts to Pycora's content structure:

mkdir -p content/posts
mv output/posts/*.md content/posts/

Each file should look like:

---
title: "My WordPress Post"
date: 2024-01-20
tags: [wordpress, migration]
---

# My WordPress Post

Content here...

Step 4 — Convert Images​

Download WordPress images:

# From your WordPress uploads folder
wget -r -np -nH --cut-dirs=3 -R index.html https://yoursite.com/wp-content/uploads/

Move to Pycora:

mv uploads/* static/img/

Update image paths in Markdown:

![Old](https://yoursite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/image.jpg)
→
![Old](/img/2024/01/image.jpg)

Step 5 — Rebuild Permalinks​

WordPress URLs are usually:

/blog/2024/01/20/my-post/

Pycora Pro URLs are:

/posts/my-post/

To keep old URLs working, add redirects in static/_redirects:

/blog/*    /posts/:splat    301

Step 6 — Choose a Theme​

Pycora Pro ships with a bento design system. Pick a layout:

• Blog — for content sites
• Portfolio — for creative work
• Company profile — for businesses

Edit content/index.md and _data/site.yaml to match your brand.

Step 7 — Test Everything​

python ssg.py
python dev.py

Check:

• All posts render
• Images load
• Links work
• Tags are correct
• Feeds are generated

Step 8 — Deploy​

Push to GitHub, then connect to Cloudflare Pages:

git add .
git commit -m "migrated from WordPress"
git push

See our Cloudflare Pages guide for details.

Step 9 — Set Up Redirects​

To keep SEO, redirect old WordPress URLs to new Pycora URLs:

static/_redirects:

/wp-content/uploads/*    /img/:splat    301
/category/*              /tags/:splat   301
/feed/                   /feed.xml       301

Step 10 — Submit New Sitemap​

1. Generate sitemap.xml automatically
2. Submit to Google Search Console
3. Submit to Bing Webmaster Tools

What About WordPress Features?​

Cost Savings​

Pycora Pro saves you $295+ in the first year, $440+ every year after.

Get Pycora Pro​

Ready to ditch WordPress? Get Pycora Pro on Gumroad.

Next Steps​

• Introduction — what is Pycora Pro
• Deployment — deploy anywhere
• Content Creation — edit via CMS

Pycora Pro takes a different approach: pure Python, zero client JS, zero build step.

Here's how they compare.

The Core Difference​

Build Speed​

Pycora is 4x faster on the same content.

Client JavaScript​

Astro ships ~15 KB of client JS by default (for hydration, view transitions, etc.).

Pycora Pro ships 0 KB. All interactivity is pure HTML/CSS or opt-in vanilla JS.

For sites that don't need client-side interactivity, this is a huge win for performance.

Dependencies​

Astro​

npm install
# ~500 packages in node_modules

Pycora Pro​

pip install jinja2 markdown pyyaml watchdog
# 4 packages

Astro has a build step. Pycora doesn't.

Templating​

Astro​

---
const posts = await getCollection('posts');
---
<html>
  <body>
    {posts.map(post => (
      <article>
        <h2>{post.data.title}</h2>
      </article>
    ))}
  </body>
</html>

Pycora Pro​

{% for post in collections.posts %}
<article>
  <h2>{{ post.title }}</h2>
</article>
{% endfor %}

Both are clean. Jinja2 is more familiar to Python developers.

Content Format​

Astro — Content Collections​

src/content/posts/
├── post-01.md
└── post-02.md

Pycora Pro​

content/posts/
├── post-01.md
└── post-02.md

Same idea. Both use Markdown + frontmatter.

Deployment​

Both deploy anywhere. Both are static.

Pycora advantage: no Node.js on the build server. Python is already there.

When to Use Astro​

• You need React/Vue/Svelte components
• You want view transitions
• You need a rich ecosystem of integrations
• Your team knows JavaScript

When to Use Pycora Pro​

• You prefer Python
• You want zero client JS
• You want faster builds
• You want zero npm dependencies
• You want a built-in CMS

Can You Use Both?​

Yes. Astro has a Python integration via @astrojs/python. But you're still running Node.

Pycora Pro is Python all the way.

The Verdict​

Get Pycora Pro​

Pycora Pro is $145, one payment, own forever.

Get Pycora Pro on Gumroad →

Because none of them ran on Python.

The Problem​

Every SSG forces you into a language ecosystem:

If you're a Python developer, you're stuck. Either:

1. Learn a new language for your static site
2. Use Jekyll and deal with Ruby dependency hell

Neither is good.

Python Developers Are Everywhere​

Python is the most popular programming language in the world. It's used for:

• Data science
• Machine learning
• Web scraping
• Automation
• Backend APIs
• Static sites

Yet there was no first-class Python SSG.

What We Built​

Pycora Pro is a Python-native static site generator. It uses:

• Python 3.8+ — no compilation, no version managers
• Jinja2 — the most popular Python template engine
• Markdown — with YAML frontmatter
• PAX — our custom template loader

The result: a static site generator that feels like Python.

Why Not Just Use Jekyll?​

Jekyll works. But:

• Ruby is a second language. Most Python devs don't know it.
• Gem dependencies break. Every Ruby update, every gem update.
• Slow builds. Jekyll is 4–5x slower than Pycora.
• No Python integration. Can't use pandas, requests, or any Python library.

Why Not Eleventy or Astro?​

Both are excellent. But:

• Node.js dependency. You need Node + npm + a bundler.
• JavaScript-only. Can't import Python modules.
• Build complexity. Astro has a build step; Pycora doesn't.
• Bundle size. Astro ships client JS by default; Pycora ships 0 KB.

The Python Advantage​

Using Python for static sites gives you:

1. Scripting​

Generate content programmatically:

# fetch_posts.py
import requests

posts = requests.get("https://api.example.com/posts").json()

for post in posts:
    with open(f"content/posts/{post['slug']}.md", "w") as f:
        f.write(f"---\ntitle: {post['title']}\n---\n\n{post['body']}")

2. Data Processing​

Use pandas, numpy, or any Python library to generate content:

import pandas as pd

df = pd.read_csv("data.csv")

for _, row in df.iterrows():
    # generate markdown from CSV
    ...

3. No Runtime​

Output is still pure static HTML. Python is only used at build time.

4. Zero Client JS​

Pycora ships 0 KB client JavaScript by default. Your site loads instantly.

Performance​

The Philosophy​

We're not trying to replace Astro or Eleventy. We're giving Python developers a native option.

If you're a Python developer, you shouldn't have to learn JavaScript to build a static site.

Get Pycora Pro​

Pycora Pro is $145, one payment, own forever.

• Python 3.8+
• Jinja2 + PAX
• Bento design system
• Decap CMS included
• Unlimited projects

Get Pycora Pro on Gumroad →

Next Steps​

• Introduction — what is Pycora Pro
• Getting Started — install and run
• Architecture — how it works

Here's the full walkthrough.

Prerequisites​

• Pycora Pro installed locally
• A GitHub account
• A Cloudflare account (free)

Step 1 — Push to GitHub​

If your project isn't on GitHub yet:

git init
git add .
git commit -m "initial commit"
git remote add origin https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/pycora-site.git
git push -u origin main

Step 2 — Test the Build Locally​

Before deploying, make sure the build works:

python ssg.py

You should see:

Ready in 0.87s - 41 files - MEDUSA v2.4.6

The output/ folder now contains your static site.

Step 3 — Connect to Cloudflare Pages​

1. Go to pages.cloudflare.com
2. Click Create a project
3. Click Connect to Git
4. Authorize Cloudflare to access your GitHub account
5. Select your repository

Step 4 — Configure Build Settings​

Important: Cloudflare needs Python 3.8+ in the build environment. Cloudflare Pages has Python pre-installed.

Environment Variables (Optional)​

If your ssg.py needs any environment variables:

Step 5 — Deploy​

Click Save and Deploy.

Cloudflare will:

1. Clone your repository
2. Install Python dependencies
3. Run python ssg.py
4. Upload output/ to their CDN
5. Give you a URL like https://pycora-site.pages.dev

First deploy takes 1–2 minutes. Subsequent deploys are faster.

Step 6 — Add a Custom Domain​

1. Go to your project → Custom domains
2. Click Set up a custom domain
3. Enter your domain (e.g. pycora.axcora.com)
4. Follow the DNS instructions

If your domain is already on Cloudflare, DNS is configured automatically.

Step 7 — Automatic HTTPS​

Cloudflare provisions an SSL certificate automatically. No configuration needed.

Your site is now available at https://yourdomain.com with:

• ✅ Automatic HTTPS
• ✅ HTTP/3 support
• ✅ Global CDN
• ✅ Unlimited bandwidth
• ✅ DDoS protection

Continuous Deployment​

Every push to main triggers a new deploy:

git add .
git commit -m "update homepage"
git push

Cloudflare rebuilds and deploys automatically. You get a preview URL for every commit.

Troubleshooting​

Build fails with "python: not found"​

Add a .python-version file to your repo:

3.11

Or set PYTHON_VERSION in environment variables.

Build succeeds but pages are blank​

Check that content/index.md exists and has valid frontmatter. Run python ssg.py locally and check for errors.

404 on subpages​

Cloudflare Pages handles trailing slashes automatically. If you have issues, add a _redirects file:

/*    /index.html   200

Alternative Providers​

Cost Comparison​

Pycora Pro pays for itself in under 6 months.

Get Pycora Pro​

Ready to deploy? Get Pycora Pro on Gumroad — one payment, own forever.

Next Steps​

• Configuration
• Content Creation
• Customization

Pycora Pro is a Python-native alternative. Same Markdown + YAML workflow, same layout inheritance, but zero Ruby.

Here's how they compare.

The Core Difference​

Dependencies​

Jekyll​

Jekyll requires Ruby, then gems, then Bundler. On a fresh machine:

# Install Ruby (varies by OS)
brew install ruby

# Install Jekyll
gem install jekyll bundler

# Install project gems
bundle install

Every time Ruby updates, gems break. Every time a gem updates, Bundler complains. This is dependency hell.

Pycora Pro​

pip install jinja2 markdown pyyaml watchdog

Four packages. That's it. Python 3.8+ is already on most machines.

Build Speed​

We built a test site with 40 Markdown files, 10 layouts, and 5 partials.

Pycora Pro is 4–5x faster on the same content.

Templating​

Jekyll — Liquid​

{% for post in site.posts limit:3 %}
  <a href="{{ post.url }}">{{ post.title }}</a>
{% endfor %}

Pycora Pro — Jinja2 + PAX​

{% for post in posts | limit(3) %}
  <a href="{{ post.url }}">{{ post.title }}</a>
{% endfor %}

PAX auto-converts old Liquid-style slices:

{{ posts[:3] }}      →  {{ posts | limit(3) }}

So if you're migrating from Jekyll, most Liquid templates work with minor tweaks.

Content Format​

Both use Markdown + YAML frontmatter.

Jekyll​

---
layout: post
title: "My Post"
date: 2024-01-20
tags: [python, ssg]
---

Pycora Pro​

---
layout: layouts/post
title: "My Post"
date: 2024-01-20
tags: [python, ssg]
---

Almost identical. The only difference: Pycora uses layouts/post instead of post.

Deployment​

Both output static HTML. Both deploy anywhere.

Pycora Pro advantage: no Ruby version manager needed on the build server. Python is already there.

Developer Experience​

Jekyll​

• Plugin ecosystem is mature
• Liquid is limited for complex logic
• Ruby debugging required for theme development
• Slow feedback loop on large sites

Pycora Pro​

• Python native — use any Python library
• Jinja2 is more powerful than Liquid
• Built-in Decap CMS admin
• Live reload via python dev.py

When to Use Jekyll​

• You already know Ruby
• You need a specific Jekyll plugin
• You're maintaining an existing Jekyll site

When to Use Pycora Pro​

• You prefer Python
• You want faster builds
• You want zero Ruby dependencies
• You want a built-in CMS
• You want a premium bento design out of the box

Migrating from Jekyll​

Migration is straightforward:

1. Rename _posts/ → content/posts/
2. Convert Liquid templates to Jinja2 (PAX handles most of it)
3. Move _config.yml → _data/site.yaml
4. Run python ssg.py

See our Jekyll migration guide for details.

Get Pycora Pro​

Pycora Pro is $145, one payment, own forever.

• Unlimited projects
• No license key
• No renewal
• White-label resale allowed

Get Pycora Pro on Gumroad →