7. FAQ: Common Questions about Static Export
Q. Can I use Context API with Static Export?
Yes! createContext and useContext work perfectly fine because they are client-side features. Static Export only removes the Server Runtime. Anything that runs in the browser works.
Q. How do I handle forms (e.g., Contact Us)?
Since you don't have an API route to process the form, you need a 3rd party service.
- Formspree / Getform: Send form data to their URL.
- Google Forms: Embed a Google Form.
- Firebase Functions: Call a serverless function directly from the client.
Q. Can I use next/image if I self-host?
Yes, but you need to run npm run start (which needs a Node.js server).
If you are doing output: 'export' and serving just HTML/CSS/JS via Nginx or Apache, then NO. You must use an external loader or unoptimized: true.
Q. What about SEO?
Static Export is actually Great for SEO.
Since all pages are pre-rendered as HTML files, Googlebot can crawl them easily without executing JavaScript. It's faster than Client-Side Rendering (CSR).
Q. How do I update content?
You must trigger a Rebuild and Redeploy.
There is no ISR (Incremental Static Regeneration). If you fix a typo in the CMS, it won't show up until you run the build pipeline again.
Q. Is it worth the hassle?
If you are a solo developer or a small startup with zero budget, Yes. The cost savings of S3/CloudFront are massive compared to Vercel's Pro plan ($20/member).
However, be prepared to implement your own CI/CD pipeline (GitHub Actions) and handle the limitations mentioned above. If your time is worth more than $20/month, just use Vercel or a similar managed service.