What language do you prefer when building a website?

28 Haz 15:58

For me, the decision heavily depends on the use case and long-term requirements—not primarily on my own speed or preference, but on what the client *actually needs* down the road. For a simple starter project with static content (e.g., a business card website, portfolio, or small corporate presence with minimal interactivity), I go with **pure HTML/CSS, optionally with minimal Vanilla JS**. Why? Because it’s performant, has no extra dependencies, and doesn’t require build tools. Many clients later appreciate the straightforward structure and can make updates themselves. A framework would be overkill here and only complicate maintenance unnecessarily. If *real* interactivity is the priority (e.g., real-time data fetching, dynamic filters, or user management), I use **HTML + simple JS**. This way, I can tailor the solution to the requirements without forcing a 100+ MB bundle on the client that no one will ever touch later. I’d only introduce React or Vue if the client needs scalable, complex frontends—like for an MVP with a web app feel. Then, the effort for reusability and community libraries pays off. But even then: I’d only suggest a full-fledged framework starting from the third or fourth feature in that direction. At the end of the day, it’s about finding the *smallest common denominator*: a solution that works today, remains maintainable tomorrow, and doesn’t create unnecessary barriers for the client. An overloaded tech stack might be trendy—but if the person updating the content later can’t handle it, the choice was wrong. That’s why I always ask: *"Who will be updating the site later?"* The answer often matters more than the code itself.