Middleman

Why Middleman Over Other Static Site Generators

When clients need websites that are fast, secure, and easy to maintain, Middleman gives us the flexibility to build exactly what they need without the complexity of database-driven systems. It’s been around for a long time - and I’ve been using it for more than a decade - but still actively maintained with good community support. It is starting to show its age in some ways, and I’ve been moving towards Bridgetown for new projects, but I’m not in a hurry to switch existing Middleman sites that are working well.

Middleman’s Ruby foundation means we can leverage the same tools and patterns we use for more complex applications, making it easier to maintain consistency across projects. For organizations that want websites without the overhead of WordPress plugins and updates, Middleman hits the sweet spot.

Key Benefits for Our Clients

We have a whole page describing the benefits of the static web - but in short, static sites are fast, secure, and easy to maintain. Middleman gives us the tools to build static sites that are also flexible and customizable, which means we can create unique websites that still have all the benefits of static architecture. For clients who want a website that just works without needing to worry about updates, security patches, or plugin conflicts, Middleman is a great choice.

Projects Using Middleman

American Council of the Blind of Indiana

Built from scratch for an audience that navigates primarily by screen reader, the ACBI site launched in January 2024 after testing with real members inside the organization, not just an automated checklist. We manage all content updates to keep the formatting consistent and the site reliably accessible as it changes over time.

First Baptist Church of Shelburn

A plugin conflict took down their WordPress site; we had it back up fast, then rebuilt from scratch in August 2024 with a static site that has no plugins to update, no theme conflicts, and no risk of going dark on a Saturday night. The church team posts their own weekly announcements—everything else gets handled quickly when they reach out.

Space Jamboree

For their 18th year, Space Jamboree transitioned to a 100% virtual event. We built the public site and a full registration platform covering participant enrollment, workshop selection, Stripe payments, and automated data exports that replaced a pile of manual post-registration work. The system launched in early 2024, handled the August event without issues, and has expanded every year since with new tools for instructors, scoutmasters, participants, and their families.