This site is a small exercise in minimalism. It’s fast, cheap to host, and, most importantly, easy to write for. That last part matters, because a blog you avoid updating is a blog that stops.

The stack

  • Astro for the framework. It ships zero JavaScript by default.
  • Markdown for writing. Less friction means I actually do it.
  • A content collection for the blog. Typed frontmatter catches typos before deploy.
  • Netlify / Vercel for hosting. Push to git, and it’s live.

That’s it. No database, no separate build tooling, no plugin maze.

Why this keeps me writing

A good personal site makes it easy for the author to publish. Every choice here was about lowering the barrier between having a thought and getting it online.

  1. Plain text wins. I can draft a post from my phone in a plain-text editor.
  2. One command to run. npm run dev and I’m editing.
  3. No theme debt. I control every line of CSS, so nothing fights me.
  4. It stays fast. No bloated payloads, no third-party trackers.

Comfort for readers comes from design, not features

Speed and simplicity are also reading virtues. A fast page with clean typography and a comfortable line length keeps people reading. That’s why I pay attention to line-height, margins, and color contrast.

If you’re thinking about a personal site, start smaller than you think. Ship the minimal version, then add only what earns its place. Minimalism isn’t about having nothing. It’s about keeping only what matters.