Hey everyone! I'm venturing into building a complete website solo for a project, and I'd really appreciate your insights. This will be my first involvement in a semi-professional capacity, so I want to get things right from the start to avoid major headaches later on.
I've got some experience under my belt with WordPress, Elementor, and WooCommerce for basic websites, but having recently completed full-stack web development courses, I feel comfortable using HTML, CSS, and React. My concern is about the reliance on WordPress plugins, as many come with subscription fees, and I'd prefer to steer clear of that. Besides, I believe I can handle the design myself, so I'd love to hear your recommendations on how to set up the site without incurring recurring costs while including the coding elements I'm comfortable with.
The site will need to have:
- A main/home page
- A small shop page for selling books
- A booking page for courses (similar to a shop)
- A resources page for free downloads
- Detailed pages for each course
- English & German translations (this may be a bit of a challenge)
- A responsive design that adapts well on different devices (which I can manage with CSS)
What stack or setup would you recommend for keeping this manageable while avoiding subscriptions? Thanks a ton for any advice!
5 Answers
If you’re thinking of going the PHP route, you might want to consider Laravel in combination with InertiaJs and Vue for the frontend. This setup takes care of a lot of boilerplate code, allowing you to focus on building what you need. Plus, Laravel has a robust ecosystem with packages that can help with authentication and product management, which could streamline your development process.
Using a headless e-commerce backend can complicate things more than necessary. If you want to build everything from scratch, you might run into roadblocks like managing the shopping cart or user authentication. A custom-built solution with your own database might actually be more straightforward when you get into the nitty-gritty. For styling, I recommend using Tailwind; it speeds up implementation and keeps everything looking sharp. As for subscriptions, consider deploying with AWS, where initial usage is often free. Either way, focus on using Next.js since it provides excellent performance and SEO benefits for eCommerce sites.
Absolutely! Next.js really helps with performance, and while you might encounter learning curves, it pays off in the responsiveness and speed of your site.
To completely avoid subscriptions, you'll need to do a fair bit of coding yourself. I recommend looking into MedusaJS for your eCommerce backend; it's like an open-source version of Shopify. It comes with some out-of-the-box solutions, but expect to code quite a bit. For the frontend, they have a starter project built using React and Next.js, which should fit well with your existing skills. Just keep in mind you'll need a hosting solution, like a VPS from providers like Hetzner or DigitalOcean. Also, ask your client for design inspirations to guide your layout! And one last tip: if it's your first project, estimate the time needed and then triple it for a more realistic timeline.
Great tip! If you're looking for UI components, you could also check out Shadcn. Plus, for translations, if you go with Next.js, Next-Intl could be a solid choice.
While I see where you're coming from, I wouldn't recommend a Shopify backend due to costs and complexity. A custom CMS could simplify many elements without those limitations.
Building a webshop solo without prior experience can be tough, especially regarding security and scaling. While it might seem like a good idea to avoid subscriptions, platforms like Shopify have solved many challenges of selling online that can end up saving you time and stress. The monthly fee might quickly be covered after just a few sales, so it could be worth it in the long run.
You make a good point, though using Stripe API for payments can also handle security quite decently if done right. It’s all about finding that balance!
A few things to consider: Avoiding subscriptions often leads to hidden costs in development time. If you’re being paid for the project, do a cost-benefit analysis of building from scratch versus going for an established platform. Make sure the experience for your client isn't cumbersome—things like product management and order handling should be as user-friendly as possible. Also, who will handle ongoing maintenance and updates? Think about how you'll charge for that after the launch!
That's a solid suggestion! Laravel makes the initial setup easier, and you'll find plenty of existing resources to help. Just remember, this option still requires some coding.