A Personal Journey: Building a Simple Yet Meaningful Website from Scratch

After two years of development, I am excited to share the culmination of my efforts—a website that, despite its simplicity, represents a significant personal milestone. This project was driven not by the allure of complex technology, but by a desire to create something authentic and tailored to my own voice.

A Reflection on the Process

Designing and launching this site was more than just coding; it was a journey of self-discovery and perseverance. While I possessed the technical skills and had numerous ideas, it was the version of myself committed to seeing this project through that truly made the difference.

Previously, I worked with organizations that emphasized “innovation,” yet often lacked the focus or willingness to embrace genuine, honest progress. That disconnect led to frustration and exhaustion.

In response, I decided to build something for me—a handcrafted platform that captures my essence and allows my authentic self to be visible and heard.

The Technical Approach

This website employs a minimalist tech stack to prioritize artistry over complexity:

• Core Technologies: React.js combined with Markdown for content rendering.
• Design Choices: No CSS frameworks, no third-party tracking tools, no SEO optimization—just pure, unfiltered craftsmanship.
• Privacy & Simplicity: No external analytics or trackers, maintaining a straightforward and respectful user experience.

Key Features and Innovations

• Custom Markdown Styling: Tailored to enhance readability and aesthetic appeal.
• Procedural Backgrounds: Generating dynamic backgrounds programmatically, currently optimized for CPU processing. Future plans include leveraging WebGPU for smoother, GPU-accelerated visuals.
• Theme Awareness: Implemented themes that adapt seamlessly, although cross-browser challenges, especially with WebKit, present ongoing opportunities for refinement.
• Embedded PDF Viewer: Using pdf.js to display documents. If you have tips on styling or customizing the viewer consistently across platforms, I’d love to hear them.
• Easter Eggs and Hidden Gems: Interactively included playful surprises—feedback or discoveries are welcome.
• Content as Commits: The posts are structured like version control commits, hinting at future integrations with a more robust content management system.
• Thoughtful Motion: Recognizing the potential for motion to overwhelm, I’m considering a “low motion” mode for accessibility.

An Ongoing Work in Progress

While the site is currently a bit glitchy and still evolving, it’s live, and I