Why I built a website starter kit

I created this Website Starter Kit with a blog because I needed a solution to a common problem I faced: the tedious task of setting up landing pages and blogs every time I launched a new project. As someone who frequently brings new ideas to life, I found myself overwhelmed by the repetitive nature of creating these essential components.

The Problem

Every time I embark on a new project, I have to build a landing page and a blog from scratch. This process is not only time-consuming but also tedious. While there are plenty of platforms available, many are too complex or don’t meet my needs. I wanted something straightforward, something that would allow me to get my site up and running quickly without unnecessary hurdles.

The Solution

So, I set out to build a lightweight Website Starter Kit that includes both a landing page and a blog. My goal was to simplify the setup process. When I was developing this kit, I made several key decisions based on my experiences and needs.

I chose a lightweight framework because I wanted rapid load speeds and low hosting costs. Keeping costs down is crucial for me, especially when I’m launching multiple projects. I didn’t want to break the bank every time I needed to create a new site.

Out of the box, the kit is designed to be user-friendly, allowing anyone to quickly deploy a professional-looking website. It includes some essential SEO features to help drive organic traffic to my projects. I wanted to ensure that the content I create has the best chance of being discovered online.

A Simple, Efficient Tool

The core of this kit is about making things easier for myself. By having a pre-configured landing page and blog, I can focus on the actual product rather than getting bogged down in the setup process. It’s all about efficiency and functionality.

In the end, my hope is that this Website Starter Kit can help others who find themselves in similar situations. I built it because I needed it, and I believe it can be a valuable tool for anyone looking to launch their own projects without the hassle of traditional setups.

The Technology Stack

When developing this Website Starter Kit, I carefully selected technologies that would provide a balance of performance, ease of use, and flexibility. Here's a breakdown of the key technologies I chose and why:

Tailwind CSS

I opted for Tailwind CSS as the styling framework. It offers a utility-first approach that allows for rapid development and easy customization. With Tailwind, I can quickly build responsive designs without writing custom CSS, which significantly speeds up the development process.

Daisy UI

To complement Tailwind CSS, I integrated Daisy UI. This component library provides a set of pre-built, customizable UI components that work seamlessly with Tailwind. Daisy UI allows me to create polished interfaces quickly, maintaining a consistent look and feel across the site without sacrificing flexibility.

11ty (Eleventy)

For the static site generator, I chose 11ty. It's a simple yet powerful tool that converts templates into static HTML pages. 11ty's flexibility and performance make it ideal for building both landing pages and blogs. It supports various template languages and has a low learning curve, making it accessible for developers of all skill levels.

Deployment Options

To ensure easy deployment and hosting, I've pre-configured the Starter Kit for two popular platforms:

Firebase Hosting

The kit is set up for seamless deployment to Firebase Hosting. This platform offers fast content delivery, easy rollbacks, and integrates well with other Firebase services if needed in the future.

Cloudflare Pages

Additionally, I've configured the kit for Cloudflare Pages. This option provides global CDN distribution and continuous deployment from Git, making it an excellent choice for those who want a robust and scalable hosting solution.

By pre-configuring these deployment options, I've eliminated another potential hurdle in the website launch process, allowing users to get their sites live with minimal fuss.