Astro 5.0 launches with Content Layer, Server Islands and Vite 6 Integration

Astro Web Framework 5.0 has been released, bringing major updates such as the Content Layer and Server Islands. The Content Layer offers a type-safe API for flexible content management from various sources within Astro projects. Server Islands improve the islands architecture by combining static HTML with dynamic server-generated components, boosting performance.

The update also simplifies prerendering by merging hybrid and static options into a unified static mode, allowing for runtime rendering of routes with minimal configuration. While Astro 5.0 remains static by default, it provides dynamic flexibility with server-side rendering options when needed.

Additionally, the new astro:env module enhances environment variable management with type safety, allowing developers to securely handle sensitive data and configure variables for specific uses. Astro 5.0's integration with Vite 6 introduces a new Environment API for better alignment between development and production environments, increasing compatibility with platforms like Cloudflare. Experimental features include image cropping support, responsive image layouts, and an SVG Component for improved visual development.