I've recently returned to web development as a hobby and am eager to take on some semi-professional projects. I'm using Eleventy along with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. While I'm proud of my website designs, I often feel my code can be quite redundant and messy, leading to errors when I need to make changes. I'm hoping to find some modern and elegantly designed websites that demonstrate simple yet effective code. My goal is to create a look similar to what you'd find in an art gallery or high-quality journalism sites, like those of The New Yorker or Texte zur Kunst, but I also want to incorporate some Y2K aesthetics, similar to Maxbo's Neocities site.
3 Answers
You might want to check out the site sfcompute.com. It has a narrow design paired with skeuomorphic buttons that align well with the aesthetic you're aiming for. It’s very clean! Also, taking a look at portfolio sites from graphic designers can be really beneficial; they often have the gallery vibe you want while maintaining a more organized code structure since they collaborate with developers who know their stuff.
Have you checked out the UK government website? It’s pretty straightforward, lightweight, and super readable. It's a great example of no-frills design that keeps things simple and efficient.
It sounds like you might be encountering redundant templates in Eleventy. It often means the layout chain isn't doing enough work. Revisiting what goes into a layout versus what gets repeated on each page could really help tidy up your code.
Totally agree! The sfcompute site really nails the look, and that narrow layout is just perfect. Plus, graphic designer portfolios show a lot of creativity in their designs and code.