← Back to all posts

Building This Blog: A Minimal Approach

How I built this minimal dev blog using Next.js 15, Tailwind CSS, and markdown. Keeping it simple and focused on content.

The first project in my building-in-public journey is, fittingly, this blog itself.

Tech Stack

I wanted to keep things minimal and straightforward:

  • Next.js 15: For the framework and routing
  • Tailwind CSS: For styling (keeping it minimal)
  • Markdown: For writing posts
  • TypeScript: For type safety

Design Philosophy

The design is intentionally minimal:

  • Clean, readable typography
  • Plenty of whitespace
  • Focus on content, not flashy features

Why Markdown?

Markdown is perfect for this use case:

  • Simple and fast to write
  • Version control friendly
  • No database needed
  • Easy to migrate if needed

What's Next?

Now that the blog is up, I can focus on documenting actual projects. Stay tuned for more updates as I build and ship.

The journey continues...

Thanks for reading! Follow my journey as I build in public.

Follow @narongritsy on X

Other Posts

Migrating to SQLite: Database Lessons, Backup Strategies, and Building VibecodingResources.net

I spent the last few days learning SQLite, migrating my blog from markdown files to a database, configuring automated backups, and launching vibecodingresources.net. Here is what I learned about choosing the right database for your projects.

Choosing Between AWS S3 vs Cloudflare R2, and Why I Ditched Self-Hosted Email for Kit.com

Today's build log: 8 hours deep in decision paralysis. Should I use AWS S3 or Cloudflare R2? Host on VPS or Cloudflare Pages? Self-host email or use Kit.com? Spoiler: I chose the free options.

Setting Up Mautic Self-Hosted Email Marketing (And Getting Banned by Claude)

Today's build log: Fighting through Claude account suspensions while setting up Mautic, an open-source marketing automation platform. Documenting the frustrations and wins of self-hosting email marketing.