I am going into the new year by refreshing the working stack and a new website. I will address and solve some topics that have bothered me since web development invented the LAMP stack.
I will keep all the functionalities of the modern blog website as a tool for sharing information and expressing myself without following most of the known patterns and components a blog usually has.
#different approach to website
I am bored with the standard website structure, menus, contact pages, etc. There needs to be an easier way to present the info the visitor comes for.
#website components
I will remove standard components like the contact form, comments, search, etc. Instead, give the content and the organic feeling of content flow without presenting the page's structure.
#website views/page templates
Approaching the whole website as a simple gallery with all the available articles being there as you land on the website. To the experience of zooming the image / viewing the article, you want to read. One and a half of a template is required for everything the website needs. Categories, series index, etc., can all be presented in this gallery and zoomed image view.
#going static
I've been playing with the idea of having a fully static application or website with no moving parts for some time now. The idea feels light and secure, and it gives me peace. Putting the moving parts on the side of a browser and the users' services (like google drive for storage) is also a proper approach for the maintainability of the solution.
#maintenance
With lots of "hello world" projects hanging around, from a todo app to the chat socket server, there is always this nagging feeling when things will break one way or the other. The same goes for the website, even if we only talk about the website.
#security
Upgrading packages in all the projects take a lot of time.
#services
Dependency on the services like databases brings its own risk of maintaining them and keeping them up all the time.
#storage
There is always a chance some unwanted files end up there, or things need to sync correctly.
#frameworks
From WordPress to Laravel, lots of overhead is there to run them properly through time.
#scaling
Scaling the application servers horizontally is a pain. Shared database and storage the old way is a challenge I want to avoid.
#backups
I need some automation to go away from the Schrödinger backups.
#servers
The risk of upgrading them with all the projects is a pain I don't want anymore.
#conclusion
Achieving all the goals will be a considerable challenge, but it is time to finally make it a reality and put the idea I've had for years out of my memory and make room for some new ones.
Till next time, stay sexy and hydrated.
