For years, I've been designing and building marketing websites with Webflow. It's been a great tool for creating custom designs, managing content, and giving marketing teams the flexibility to update their websites without relying on developers.
But as web development evolves, I've started exploring other ways to build websites. One of the technologies that caught my attention is Astro.
So, why Astro?
A different approach to building websites
Astro is a modern web framework designed primarily for content-driven websites. Unlike traditional React applications, it ships little to no JavaScript by default, which makes it particularly interesting for marketing websites where speed and performance matter.
Most marketing websites don't need the complexity of a full web application. They need to load quickly, look great, communicate clearly, and provide a smooth experience across devices.
Astro is built with exactly this kind of use case in mind.
More flexibility with design and development
One of the things I enjoy most about web design is having the freedom to experiment with layouts, interactions, animations, and visual details.
While Webflow offers plenty of flexibility, working with code opens up another level of control.
With Astro, I can build custom components, implement more complex interactions, and choose the right tools for each project instead of working within the boundaries of a particular platform.
It also works nicely with libraries like GSAP for animations and Tailwind CSS for styling.
Content management doesn't have to be complicated
A marketing website is rarely just a collection of static pages. Teams need to publish blog posts, manage case studies, update landing pages, and maintain other content.
That's where a CMS comes in.
By combining Astro with a headless CMS like Sanity, it's possible to create a flexible content management setup while keeping the frontend completely custom.
The result is a website that gives marketing teams a straightforward way to manage content without sacrificing design freedom.
Where does AI-assisted development fit in?
Another reason I'm exploring Astro is how well it fits into modern, AI-assisted development workflows.
Tools like Claude and Codex can help speed up coding, generate components, troubleshoot issues, and handle repetitive development tasks.
This doesn't mean letting AI make every decision or generate an entire website without supervision. Good design, architecture, and attention to detail still require human input.
But with the right workflow, AI coding agents can make custom website development more accessible and efficient.
Does this mean I'm moving away from Webflow?
Not at all.
I still think Webflow is a great choice for many marketing websites, especially when clients need an intuitive visual editor and an easy way to manage their content.
Astro simply gives me another option.
For some projects, Webflow will be the better fit. For others, a custom Astro website with a headless CMS might make more sense.
It really comes down to the project, the client's needs, and how much flexibility is required.
The bigger picture
I'm interested in building marketing websites that combine strong visual design with modern development practices.
Astro, Sanity, and AI-assisted development give me more ways to approach that goal.
I'm still exploring, experimenting, and figuring out where this technology makes the most sense. But one thing is clear: having more tools and flexibility means I can focus on what matters most — building distinctive, well-crafted websites that work just as well as they look.