Web Design

I got an email recently from a kind online friend asking to learn about my process or what makes a good website. It's also good impetus for me to be a little more candid and critical about my practice — here's my breakdown on how to make a Good Website.

This website is a single HTML file. It simply uses the #anchor suffix (from 1992) and the :target CSS selector to show and hide pages/content. This setup is databaseless, javascriptless, and buildshit-free, so you can edit your website with a text editor and upload it somewhere like a normal person.

An attempt at modelling digital design as a form of psychological architecture, taking the form of a single HTML document.

This document outlines a non-exhaustive list of details that make a good (web) interface. It is a living document, periodically updated based on learnings. Some of these may be subjective, but most apply to all websites.

Chase McCoy explores, builds, & writes about the web.

In 1995, a new industry was born, and design became a true practice.

CSS Stats provides analytics and visualizations for your stylesheets. This information can be used to improve consistency in your design, track performance of your app, and diagnose complex areas that might benefit from refactoring.

Take your frontend skills to the next level by recreating real websites from real companies.

If you have any doubts, then you're the target audience of this guide.

You do not have to follow these rules every time. If you have a good reason to break any of them, do. But they are safe to follow every time.

Own Your Web is a newsletter by Matthias Ott about designing, building, creating, and publishing for and on the Web. Every other week, I send out an exclusive email full of actionable insights, best practices, hacks, links, books, tools, and other high-quality insights I found or explored. Whether you want to get started with your own personal website or level up as a designer, developer, or independent creator working with the ever-changing material of the Web, this little email is for you. ❤✊ Free. No spam ever. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you consent to my use of your email address to stay in touch with you, as provided in my Privacy Policy.

These spaces that particularly stood out to me all had some quality of slowness, quiet, and/or gathering. We ought to carefully examine the qualities of the living environment that each web space provides for us.

Monospace fonts are dear to many of us. Some find them more readable, consistent, and beautiful, than their proportional alternatives. Maybe we’re just brainwashed from spending years in terminals? Or are we hopelessly nostalgic? I’m not sure. But I like them, and that’s why I started experimenting with all-monospace Web.

Something non-designers understandably struggle with is how to make things look good. One of those things is long form content that’s well set and readable. Luckily, CSS makes this easy, you just have to know what to change.