Boring by default
When starting a new web project one often reaches for new cutting-edge technologies to be up-to-date. However, why not start with the basics first and add stuff on top if you really need it. Boring by default.
I really like new and cutting-edge technology, but lately, I feel more and more that we're just over-engineering everything... 😢
I spent the last hour solving problems that I wouldn't have had with a "traditional stack", static HTML and some hand-written JavaScript.
As Stefan and many others, I also often see and experience over-engineered sites regularly. Let's see why starting with a traditional, or boring stack may not be the worst idea.
When starting a new website all you need to build it is a computer, an editor and a browser to view it. Yes, that's all – no need for a build script or task runners or for installing something via npm. Yet, nowadays we tend to over-complicate all of this. The arguments for this are that it makes it so much easier to build a site using all this tools, another is that you will clearly need all of this once several people work on the project and/or the project is getting large.
These are all valid points, but to you really need this all from the beginning? What if you abandon the project (like the millions of half-finished side-projects out there), or find that a static HTML page is all you need.
