Behind the Curtain: Crafting My Personal Website After Two Years of Perseverance

Creating a simple personal website can sometimes feel like an arduous journey—one that spans months or even years. Today, I’m proud to share that, after a dedicated two-year effort, I’ve finally brought my vision to life, and it’s a milestone worth celebrating. This isn’t driven by cutting-edge technology but by genuine passion and resilience.

A Reflection on My Journey

Throughout the process, I had the necessary skills and creative ideas. Yet, what I lacked was the internal drive to see it through—a version of myself committed to finishing what I started. Years of working on projects for companies that claimed to prioritize innovation but often faltered in execution left me exhausted. The frustration of navigating obstacles and unspoken expectations became overwhelming.

So, instead of conforming to external demands, I built this platform for me. It’s a handcrafted space designed for the version of myself eager to be seen and heard—a true digital reflection of my personal voice.

Design and Development Approach

This website isn’t built atop a complex tech stack. Instead, I chose simplicity. I employed basic React.js in combination with Markdown, deliberately avoiding reliance on CSS frameworks, analytics, trackers, or SEO optimizations. The focus was on purity and authenticity—creating a space that champions transparency and personal expression, even if it means foregoing some conventional web bells and whistles.

Key Features and Technical Highlights

• Customized Markdown Styling: I crafted a tailored Markdown rendering experience to give my content a unique visual identity.

• Procedural Background Generation: The background visuals are generated procedurally, initially leveraging CPU processing. I’m exploring webGPU to offload this to the GPU for a smoother, more responsive experience.

• Theme Awareness: Theme switching is integrated, but cross-browser compatibility, especially with WebKit, has presented challenges—particularly with the blur effects. Tips or suggestions on making theme transitions more seamless are highly welcomed.

• Embedded PDF Viewer: Utilizing pdf.js, I’ve embedded a PDF viewer directly into the site. Looking for advice on enhancing inbuilt class styles to achieve a consistent look across platforms would be greatly appreciated.

• Hidden Easter Egg: There’s a playful surprise embedded—an easter egg that’s also a rabbit hole. If you stumble upon it, I’d love to hear your feedback or enjoy some playful roasting.

• Posts Modeled as Commits: My blog posts emulate commit