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Articles
My thoughts on all things WordPress and the world of front end web development. If you want to browse by a particular subject then go to my categories page.
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Reviewing my 2025 goals one month later — what progress have I made?
Last month I posted an article on my website for the first time in a long while. In it I set out some goals for the coming 12 months. The aim was to create greater accountability for myself, track my progress by starting to write more again, whilst also practicing Learning in public again. So how have I been getting on with each of my goals. Let's find out... Fully transition to using Statamic for...
Setting some goals for 2025
I've used an exceptionally busy 24 month period as an excuse to not keep up with writing articles for this website. That's something I want to rectify. I have a lot of things I'd like to share, but I have to make time for them, otherwise they'll continue to only exist in my head. On top of this, there are a number of improvements I'd like to make to my skillset and business. Again, I've used the b...
This website is now built on Statamic, hosted on Katapult and managed with Ploi
Some time ago I started looking for Laravel based content management systems (CMS) in relation to a project I was involved with. That's when I first discovered Statamic, and was intrigued by its out of the box feature set. Sadly that project didn't move forward to use a CMS, so ever since then I've been looking for an excuse to try it out. I figured my best bet was to move my own website onto Stat...
Polypane seems pretty awesome – I think it will also save me a lot of time
I only recently discovered the Polypane web browser. However from my very limited time with it I’m very impressed with the features it has to offer. So much so that by the end of the 14 day free trial I was ready to part with my money. As a web browser that is specifically designed for web developers and designers it’s easy to see why it’s gaining popularity amongst the community...
No more Fridays: Switching to a 4 day week
My switch to a 4 day week has been a while in the making. Yet it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. At the beginning of 2021 I decided I would only work on client projects Monday to Thursday. Then spend Fridays working on my own business growth. On paper this seemed sensible, but it didn’t quite go to plan. In reality it meant 4 days of focused work, then a mad dash...
Content management system not required!
I’m currently working on two projects that don’t require a content management system (CMS). This is a very rare situation for me. The majority of work I typically take on requires a CMS, be it WordPress, Statamic or something else. That’s just how demand is at the moment, and that’s totally fine. However when the opportunity arises, and if the project is a good fit, then I&...
My biggest mistakes of 2022 so far
I’ve no real plan for this post. The only aim is to acknowledge my mistakes so far this year. Then hopefully start on the way to correcting them. I haven’t written anything in so long Five and a half months. It’s been five and a half months since I wrote anything here. The same pretty much goes for my Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. I’m regretting it now, but I know I’...
Finding purpose in sustainable web development
I’ve been searching for greater purpose in the work I do recently. Front end web development is enjoyable, exciting, and constantly pushing boundaries. The clients I have the pleasure to work with have high aspirations. Always challenging me to deliver websites of great quality. However if I’m honest with myself, I’m very much a generalist in web development. I’m not a cons...
Successful projects are the result of how you apply your knowledge and skills, not the tools and frameworks you use
I like to think the tech community is on the whole a positive place where we can all come together and help one another. I for one have made some great connections through it. However I want to highlight a concern I see on a fairly regular basis. One which I think goes against the spirit of building community. That concern is with individuals who make statements to devalue tools and approaches in ...
Make sure you know when to use buttons and links in your HTML
The correct usage for buttons and their HTML markup are a hot topic at the moment for accessibility. It has a big impact on how people can interact with your website. So if you want to ensure you are making the correct choice when using buttons on your website, and know why, then I recommended checking out a couple of resources from the recent @FrontendMasters newsletter which I found useful. Eric...
Why you should take ownership of your WordPress hosting
Taking ownership of your WordPress hosting could save your business money, as well as a great deal of time and stress. When I began freelancing I made the decision not to offer web hosting. I was, and continue to be insistent that clients purchase their own web hosting and domain registrations. Now that probably sounds counter intuitive for anyone developing websites. After all it’s an oppor...