Builds are slow or failing
Build times keep growing, and dependency conflicts make upgrades risky.
Still on Gatsby? Here’s where to go.
Since Netlify acquired Gatsby and shut down Gatsby Cloud, development has slowed and plugins have fallen behind. For most Gatsby sites, there is now a clearly better home.
Should you move off Gatsby?
If the site is content-driven, move to Astro. It keeps the static-first approach that made Gatsby appealing, is actively developed, and works with the same headless CMSs. If marketing wants to edit visually without developers, move to Framer. If the site is really an application, move to Next.js.
If the site is stable, rarely changes, and builds reliably, there is no emergency. Plan the move before a dependency upgrade forces it.
Signs it’s time to leave Gatsby.
Plugins are unmaintained
Source and image plugins you depend on have stopped keeping up with their platforms.
Hosting changed underneath you
Gatsby Cloud is gone, and the hosting setup has become a workaround.
Hiring for it is getting harder
Fewer developers want to work in Gatsby, and fewer know its data layer well.
Upgrades keep getting deferred
React and Node upgrades stall because the Gatsby stack won’t move with them.
Where Gatsby teams usually go.
Gatsby sites are usually content sites built by developers, so most land on Astro. Here is how the options compare.
| Option | Best for | Who edits content | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astro with a visual CMS | Content-heavy or performance-critical sites with custom integrations | Marketing, in the CMS; developers own templates and components | New templates need a developer |
| Framer | Marketing sites where the team wants to design and publish without a developer | Marketing, directly in a visual canvas | Not for application UI or content that feeds other channels |
| Next.js | Sites that are really web applications, with logins or dynamic data | Developers; marketing through a headless CMS | More framework than most marketing sites need |
Option
Astro with a visual CMS
- Best for
- Content-heavy or performance-critical sites with custom integrations
- Who edits content
- Marketing, in the CMS; developers own templates and components
- Watch out for
- New templates need a developer
Option
Framer
- Best for
- Marketing sites where the team wants to design and publish without a developer
- Who edits content
- Marketing, directly in a visual canvas
- Watch out for
- Not for application UI or content that feeds other channels
Option
Next.js
- Best for
- Sites that are really web applications, with logins or dynamic data
- Who edits content
- Developers; marketing through a headless CMS
- Watch out for
- More framework than most marketing sites need
Pick a path.
Gatsby → Astro
A fast, modern frontend with a visual CMS on top, for sites that have outgrown all-in-one platforms.
Learn moreGatsby → Framer
The best visual builder for marketing sites: a full CMS, fast pages, safe editing, and native AI workflows.
Learn moreGatsby → Next.js
For sites that are really applications, with dynamic data and logged-in experiences.
Learn more
Stay on Gatsby, or go?
Not every site needs to move. Here’s the honest version.
Leaving Gatsby makes sense when
- Builds are slow, flaky, or failing
- Key plugins have stopped being maintained
- You need to upgrade React or Node
- Marketing waits on developers for every change
- A redesign or replatform is on the roadmap
Staying on Gatsby is fine when
- The site builds reliably today
- It rarely changes
- Your plugins are still maintained
- You have developers comfortable with Gatsby
- There is no budget for a move this year
What comes with you.
Pages, MDX and Markdown content, CMS connections, and images move across, and Gatsby’s GraphQL queries are replaced with simpler data loading.
- Every page and CMS item, moved by script
- URLs, with a tested 301 redirect map
- Titles, descriptions, and structured data
- Forms, CRM, and marketing automation
- Analytics, tag manager, and consent setup
- Images and media, re-optimised
Leaving a different platform?
Leaving HubSpot CMS
Want to move your website off HubSpot CMS but keep HubSpot CRM? Compare Framer and Astro, and see when staying on HubSpot CMS is the better call.
Read the guideLovable to Production
Your Lovable app works and people are starting to rely on it. Here's how to tell when it needs a production rebuild, what we keep, and how the move works.
Read the guideLeaving Sitecore
Facing a Sitecore upgrade, XM Cloud move, or licence renewal? Compare moving to a headless CMS with Astro, and see when staying on Sitecore makes sense.
Read the guide
Leaving Gatsby: common questions.
Is Gatsby dead?
Gatsby still works and is still available, but development has slowed sharply since Netlify acquired it in 2023 and Gatsby Cloud shut down. For long-lived sites, most teams are planning a move.
What is the best Gatsby alternative?
For content sites, Astro: it is static-first like Gatsby, actively developed, and works with the same headless CMSs. For sites that are really apps, Next.js. For marketing-led sites, Framer.
How hard is it to migrate from Gatsby to Astro?
Usually straightforward. Both are component-based and static-first. React components can often be reused inside Astro, and content from Markdown, MDX, or a headless CMS moves with little change.
Can we keep our headless CMS when leaving Gatsby?
Yes. Contentful, Sanity, and most other headless CMSs connect directly to Astro and Next.js, so content and editorial workflows stay in place.
Will leaving Gatsby affect SEO?
Not when URLs are preserved or redirected and metadata carries across. Sites often improve, because Astro ships less JavaScript by default.