Astro deployment is straightforward for static sites and more complex for SSR applications. Here is a clear breakdown of your options in 2026 and the key decisions that affect which approach you should take.
The Most Important Decision: Static vs SSR
Astro can output static HTML files or run as a server-side rendered application. This choice fundamentally changes your deployment requirements.
Static output produces HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files at build time. These can be served from any CDN or static hosting platform. Fast, cheap, and simple to deploy.
SSR mode requires a Node.js server running continuously to generate pages on demand. This is needed for dynamic routes, server endpoints, authenticated pages, and anything that depends on request-time data.
Getting this decision right before choosing a deployment platform saves significant friction later.
Deployment Options for Static Astro
Static Astro deploys essentially anywhere. Netlify and Cloudflare Pages handle it well. GitHub Pages works for simpler sites. The build output is just files — serve them however you like.
Deployment Options for Astro SSR
SSR Astro requires more thought. You need a platform that supports Node.js and you need to configure the correct Astro adapter for your target platform.
The adapter problem. Astro uses platform-specific adapters to generate the correct server output. The Node.js adapter works for self-hosted deployments. Cloudflare, Vercel, and Netlify have their own adapters. Using the wrong adapter for your platform, or forgetting to configure it, causes deployment failures that can be hard to diagnose.
Self-hosted SSR. Running Astro SSR on a VPS requires a Node.js process manager, Nginx as a reverse proxy, and SSL configuration. The same operational overhead as any other Node.js application.
Agentic deployment with Kuberns. Kuberns reads your Astro repository, detects your rendering mode and adapter requirements, and deploys with the correct configuration automatically. No adapter selection, no platform-specific configuration, no Node.js server management.
Full guide here: How to Deploy an Astro App
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