TL;DR: I can code my own website + blog page. I don’t need a platform, and I don’t mind working on SEO optimization.
I have always wanted to build my blog page from scratch. I used to wonder if moving from Medium.com would help me. Finally, I decided to move to add more flavor and meaning to my website. A website/portfolio is a gateway to knowing who you are and what you do. Still, a blog is a fantastic way to read your thoughts and explore your imagination!
First, I had to decide on a tech stack. I wanted a stack that allowed me to write my blogs in Markdown and do server-side rendering with less Javascript overhead and highly customizable. That’s when I came across Hugo and Astro.
I went with Astro because it had a more effortless developer experience than Hugo. Here are my key reasons:
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Syntax: Astro has a JSX-esque syntax, while Hugo follows a Go template syntax. I didn’t want to spend time learning and debugging new stuff; instead, I wanted to focus solely on writing blogs and publishing soon.
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Tailwind Integration: Astro, as a developer who loves Tailwind and uses it in almost all his projects, made it more accessible.
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Documentation: Astro’s documentation was much better than Hugo’s. Also, the former’s community is more significant.
Astro had all the features I was looking for. However, I had to wait to start because I had to do some work before starting. Now, my version of the website is ready with blogs. I am excited about this and look forward to writing my thoughts weekly! See you soon :)