Mythbusting: Gatsby isn’t that bad. Maybe your expectations are.

It’s easy to hate Gatsby.js.

If you hang around developer communities long enough, you’ll hear the same complaints repeated:

• "The builds are too slow."
• "GraphQL is a nightmare."
• "It’s over-engineered."

But let’s take a step back and look at these gripes with a fresh perspective.

Maybe, just maybe, the problem isn’t Gatsby. Maybe it’s the developers who are quick to throw in the towel.

The most common reasons developers think Gatsby is bad

Here’s why Gatsby isn’t as bad as some people make it out to be, and why you might need to rethink your approach before hopping on the hate train.

1. GraphQL: Not your enemy

One of the loudest complaints about Gatsby is its reliance on GraphQL. Developers say it’s overkill for fetching simple data, too complicated for beginners, and unnecessary.

But here’s the thing: GraphQL is incredibly powerful once you get the hang of it. Sure, it takes a little bit of learning, but once you get comfortable with it, you realize how flexible and efficient it can be.

GraphQL’s real power shows up when your site has complex, multi-source data requirements. Instead of fighting with multiple REST APIs or awkwardly looping through JSON files, you get a structured query language that retrieves exactly the data you need- nothing more, nothing less.

With GraphQL, you can pull exactly the data you need and no more, reducing over-fetching and improving performance. For complex content-heavy sites, this becomes a lifesaver, and let’s not forget that many modern apps are moving toward GraphQL anyway. So why not embrace it?

Pros:

• Precision: You avoid over-fetching, and this reduces payload size.
• Flexibility: Whether your data comes from Markdown, CMS, or external APIs, GraphQL abstracts it into a single data layer.

Cons:

• Learning curve: Admittedly, if you’ve never touched GraphQL, it’s a headache at first. It's like learning SQL from scratch but in JSON format.

Solution: Stop trying to avoid it. Gatsby’s whole ecosystem thrives on GraphQL because it’s built to handle complex data structures. If you’re building a small, flat-file blog and complaining about GraphQL, maybe Gatsby isn’t the right choice. But if you’re building something content-heavy, it’s indispensable.

Pro Tip: Start small. Learn the basics of querying with Gatsby’s starter examples, then expand your knowledge. It’s worth it in the long run.

2. Build times: It’s called optimizing

Yes, Gatsby builds can get slow on larger sites. But most developers aren’t optimizing their builds properly before complaining. Out-of-the-box Gatsby provides a lot of optimizations: image optimization, code splitting, lazy loading—but it also expects you to take some responsibility for fine-tuning things.

There are ways to speed up those long builds:

• Incremental builds: By leveraging Gatsby Cloud or configuring your infrastructure, you can take advantage of incremental builds that only rebuild what’s changed.
• Selective plugins: Use only the truly necessary plugins, and keep an eye on what’s slowing things down. Many developers blindly install plugins and then wonder why things aren’t running smoothly.

Solution: Take control. Use Incremental builds in Gatsby Cloud or manually configure your build process to optimize only the sections that change. Get smarter with your queries—don’t pull in everything from GraphQL if you don’t need it.

Remember, Gatsby offers Selective plugins, so make sure you aren’t blindly installing packages that slow everything down.

Pro Tip: Use tools like Gatsby’s Build Analysis to track where your build time goes. You might be surprised that it’s not Gatsby itself, but a plugin or heavy content.

3. Gatsby plugins: Not the problem, your choices are

Another common complaint is Gatsby’s plugin ecosystem. Developers claim it’s bloated, confusing, and prone to breakage.

Here’s a harsh truth: Most plugins don’t break Gatsby. They break your site because you installed them without properly vetting them.

But let’s be honest: most of these issues arise from poor plugin choices or installing a plugin for something you don’t fully understand.

If you’re facing conflicts, breaking changes, or bugs from plugins, it might be time to reconsider how you’re using them.

Solution: Read the docs. Vet your plugins properly before installing them into a production environment. Make sure they’re actively maintained and compatible with the version of Gatsby you’re running.

Pro Tip: Don’t go plugin-crazy. Just because a plugin exists doesn’t mean you need it. Keep your plugin ecosystem lean, and only install what’s truly necessary.

4. Steep learning curve? Sounds more like laziness

A lot of developers complain that Gatsby has a steep learning curve, especially for those unfamiliar with React or GraphQL.

Here’s a reality check: if you’re in development, you’re constantly learning. Frameworks evolve. Tools change. If you’re stuck in a mindset where everything has to be easy, you’re going to hit a wall with any modern tool. Gatsby is no different.

Learning Gatsby does take effort, especially if you’re new to React or GraphQL. But let’s not act like other frameworks don’t have learning curves, too.

If you think Gatsby’s too hard, wait until you try integrating multiple data sources in Next.js or dealing with the more complex server-side rendering in Nuxt.

Gatsby teaches you more than just Gatsby.

By learning Gatsby, you improve your skills in React, GraphQL, and static site generation—three crucial areas for modern web dev.

Accept that development is a learning process. If you aren’t willing to invest the time to learn Gatsby, then maybe you’re not cut out for complex web projects. Frameworks evolve, and if you’re not evolving with them, that’s not Gatsby’s fault.

5. Alternatives are great—but that doesn’t make Gatsby bad

Yes, there are alternatives to Gatsby. Next.js, Nuxt, and SvelteKit—all offer different strengths and approaches. But let’s not pretend that using one of these tools automatically makes Gatsby bad.

Gatsby excels at what it was designed for blazing-fast static sites with built-in performance and SEO optimizations.

The fact that other tools exist doesn’t mean Gatsby is doing something wrong. Different tools for different jobs, right?

Use the right tool for the right job. Gatsby excels at content-heavy sites where SEO and performance are key. If you’re building an app with constant data refreshes, Gatsby probably isn’t the best choice, and that’s fine.

Learn more: Gatsby vs Next vs Nuxt: Key Features and Differences

6. SEO: Gatsby’s strength, not weakness

One of Gatsby’s biggest selling points is its SEO-friendliness. As a static site generator, it handles things like pre-rendering and meta tags out of the box, ensuring that your pages load fast and rank well. Yet, some developers claim that adding dynamic content and third-party integrations makes SEO a hassle.

Here’s the thing: that’s true of any static site generator. The moment you bring in client-side rendering or complex dynamic features, you have to put in extra work to ensure your SEO doesn’t tank.

Gatsby provides tools and guides to help you navigate this—it’s just a matter of understanding how to use them properly.

7. Gatsby is perfect for complex content-heavy sites

Developers often criticize Gatsby for being unsuitable for content-heavy sites due to several common concerns, which stem from issues around performance, scalability, and data management.

Here’s a breakdown of why many developers think Gatsby isn’t good for content-heavy sites:

• Slow build times as content grows
• GraphQL dependence
• Slow image processing

If you’re working on a site with a ton of content, Gatsby is actually one of the best tools you can use. Gatsby site can pull data from multiple sources (APIs, Content management systems, Markdown, etc.) and stitch them together seamlessly is a godsend.

For developers dealing with large-scale content projects, Gatsby’s data layer and GraphQL integration make it easier to manage and query that content.

Instead of patching together REST APIs and traditional databases, Gatsby simplifies the process. It’s because of this flexibility that it’s favored by content-heavy sites like blogs, news platforms, and e-commerce stores.

Solution: Be strategic with your data fetching. Start with smaller queries and add complexity only when necessary. Gatsby gives you the tools to handle large-scale data elegantly, but it’s on you to optimize those queries and ensure you’re not pulling in more data than you need.

Pro tip: Use tools like Gatsby’s GraphiQL interface to test and refine your queries. This will save you from pulling unnecessary data, which can dramatically improve both performance and build times.

8. Developer experience: better than you think

Developers love to talk about DX (developer experience) and how it should be seamless and painless.

Gatsby isn’t perfect, but let’s not ignore the fact that it comes with some fantastic DX features:

• Hot reloading: Update your content and see it instantly without refreshing.
• Comprehensive documentation: Gatsby’s docs are pretty solid, covering everything from installation to troubleshooting.
• Built-in performance optimizations: You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to make your site fast. Gatsby’s default performance tooling takes care of that.

The occasional hiccup doesn’t mean Gatsby’s DX is bad—it just means it’s complex. If you’re willing to understand how it works, it makes life easier in the long run.

So, maybe It’s not Gatsby after all

At the end of the day, Gatsby isn’t the monster some developers make it out to be. It’s a powerful, flexible, framework that helps you build fast, scalable, and optimized static sites. If you’re having a hard time with it, it’s worth considering whether the problem is the tool or how you’re using it.

Maybe the hate stems from frustration, but that doesn’t mean Gatsby is inherently bad. Like any tool, it requires learning, patience, and effort. And in many cases, the so-called “downsides” of Gatsby are solvable problems that might require you to adapt, learn, and improve.

Want to give a Gatsby a chance? Try headless BCMS as your Gatsby CMS or use free code starters to start your new open-source project. Find codes at our GitHub.