I'm curious about the strategies solo web developers use for building and managing websites for small business owners, especially with modern frameworks like Next.js or Astro. Do you typically start from scratch for each project, or do you rely on templates? How do you hand off the final product to clients, considering these frameworks lack built-in CMS options? Additionally, what tools do you use for client management? Are there any client portal tools you prefer, or do you manage everything manually? I'm exploring an idea for a product that could help solo developers and small agencies streamline the process of building and managing websites. Is there a demand for something like this?
14 Answers
Just a heads up, solo devs often range from charging $500 for a quick site to $15k for something more involved. No tool can fix the client relationship issues; it’s critical to select clients wisely. Most developers just integrate CMS options like Strapi or Sanity into Next.js and hand over some documentation. The real challenge isn’t the tech—it's managing clients effectively.
Not likely, that would require me to dive into WordPress most times.
I create everything from scratch, building my own Astro components and designs in Figma. It's a fully managed service for clients on a monthly retainer, as they usually don’t require much hands-on management. For billing and tax, I use some accounting software.
I’ve experimented with Astro but ended up switching most of my projects back to WordPress. Clients prefer a straightforward UI for managing content, even on their mobile. It simplifies everything for them.
There are lots of CMS options like Sanity or Contentful that work great with Astro.
I’m all about developers who build sites for clients. They often pay a one-off fee for the build, then a monthly fee for maintenance. Clients typically want to update content occasionally and rely on developers to implement changes since they might not have the skills or inclination to do so themselves. They’re okay paying monthly for comprehensive management.
I usually stick to WordPress for small business sites. Most of them have limited needs and want a budget-friendly option. If a client wants to manage their own site, I'll either go with WordPress and the ACF plugin or create a custom solution depending on their needs and budget.
That makes sense. Static site generators could be a cost-effective solution for sites that don’t require frequent updates, right?
I’m not entirely sold on a Git-based workflow, but I’m keen to know more.
I’ve explained my product vision in another comment. Please take a look.
My agency uses WordPress predominantly. The designer works directly with the client to create designs in Figma, then hands it off to dev for implementation, which streamlines the process.
The handoff is definitely the trickiest part! I’ve tried various methods, but it always depends on the client's comfort level. For my Next.js or Astro projects, I typically provide a Google Doc where they can request content changes, and then I handle the updates myself. Giving clients access to a headless CMS was a bit of a disaster; they ended up messing up the layout! I would love something that simplifies this process without having to teach them too much tech.
Have you checked out Sitepins.com? It might be useful for those situations.
I’m developing a tool aimed at solo developers managing multiple small client sites. It focuses on easy Git-based deployments, a dashboard for each client, smooth handoffs without server access, and basic updates that don’t require code changes. It’s still in the early stages, and I’m eager to learn about real workflows. How do you generally handle client updates and access?
I use a Nuxt/WordPress combo for my projects. I prefer a standard headless setup. My approach is somewhat rigid due to design choices, but the handoff process isn't too hard if clients take a bit of ownership for managing their end.
Using something like Next.js for basic static sites feels like a waste of time to me.
Businesses generally don’t care about the frameworks you use. Just choose what's most suitable for the project.
Do you use any sort of client database or custom portal to track communications and client info?