I started building this during my last year of college. I remember not wanting to use React/Next.js because this would be a static website, not a dynamic one. So I found myself looking up static site generators, and that’s when I discovered Astro.js.

Astro made it easy to build this site quickly. I didn’t have to worry about routing since it already supports a file-based system, and using Markdown for static pages alongside the optimized Image component covered most of my needs. Plus, JavaScript is still available when needed through Astro Islands.

Features

• Simple and minimal design, performance focused, and with minimal JavaScript usage
• Dark/light mode switching
• Blog & Projects sections, using markdown files
• RSS feed

What I learned building this

• Using Astro.js’s router, component islands, and content collections
• How ISR and SSG work
• How RSS works
• What cannonical URLs are