Why I Started This Blog
Have you ever wondered why people put their thoughts online for everyone to see? I've asked myself the same question, and my answer is simple: I want to be accountable to myself. There's something therapeutic about reflecting on my experiences, documenting my ups and downs, and chronicling my journey to where I am today.
Inspiration
My inspiration came from Ivan Leo, a research engineer based in Singapore. His blog, ivanleo.com, documents his learnings and life experiences. Ivan was the first person who taught me how to use GitHub, explained what JSON was, and showed me how to deploy on AWS, among other things.
I wanted to create something similar for myself, a space to reflect, showcase new learnings, and explore topics ranging from code to philosophy and everything in between.
The Tech Behind This Blog
Building this blog was a fun dive into modern static site generators and frontend development. Here's a breakdown of the tools and technologies that power it:
Docusaurus
I chose Docusaurus as the framework because it's optimized for content-heavy sites like blogs and documentation. Its React-based architecture made it easy to create a fast, SEO-friendly site with minimal setup. Key features I leveraged:
Markdown/MDX support
Built-in performance optimizations: Automatic code splitting, lazy loading, and pre-rendering.
Plugin ecosystem: Added features like dark mode, syntax highlighting, and sitemaps with minimal configuration.
CSS
To style the site, I wrote custom CSS alongside Docusaurus's default themes. This let me:
- Override default styles to match my design vision (fonts, colors, spacing).
- Create responsive layouts with Flexbox and Grid.
- Add animations and transitions for a polished feel (e.g., hover effects on buttons).
Hosting and Domain
I chose Vercel to host my blog, which made the setup process incredibly smooth. For my domain, I turned to Porkbun, where I snagged a domain in my name for just $10 a year, an absolute steal! What I love about this setup is that there are no hidden costs or requirements to purchase additional plans before hosting, unlike some other providers (looking at you, Hostinger).
Wrapping Up
Starting this blog is more than just sharing thoughts, it's a commitment to growth. By documenting my journey, I hold myself accountable to keep learning, building, and reflecting. Whether it's a technical tutorial, a life lesson, or a philosophical musing, I hope these posts resonate with you or even spark your own ideas.
A huge thanks to mentors like Ivan, who showed me the power of sharing knowledge openly. And if you're reading this, thank you for being part of the journey! If any of this resonates with you, reach out or share your own story. Here's to more experiments, failures, and discoveries, on and off the screen.
P.S. Want to build something similar? The Docusaurus docs are a great place to start.