I'm running a college football pick 'em contest via email and a spreadsheet, and I'd love to transition it into a web-based platform that I can manage myself. I've got a bit of history with HTML from the MySpace days and some outdated knowledge in C++ and JavaScript. My day job is in analytics, so I do have some logical and programming skills. I'm hoping to create a site where users can register, submit their picks, and see basic stats and updates weekly. I'm considering options like WordPress, SquareSpace, or Wix, but I'm unsure how flexible those platforms are for user management and data storage without moving into commercial territory. On the flip side, I would love to build it myself but need guidance on where to start since my last website was a plain HTML file. I've heard about The Odin Project and would appreciate experiences with it, as well as thoughts on whether JavaScript or Ruby on Rails would be better for this project. I'm also open to hiring a freelance coder but would like to understand potential costs since this is a hobby project. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
WordPress is a solid choice for customization; with the right premium plugins and themes, you can really tailor it to your needs. Plus, it’s user-friendly!
If you're looking for user management and data handling, Supabase or Firebase could be good options. They handle most of the heavy lifting, which means you can focus on building your contest!
Check out UltimateWB if you're after customization and flexibility without the complexity of WordPress. It's straightforward and might fit your needs well!
Consider using modern tools like Base44 or SiteGUI. They allow you to vibe-code and handle backend functionality without too much hassle. It could save you a lot of time!
Starting with WordPress and adding a user management plugin could be the easiest route. Alternatively, The Odin Project is awesome for learning full-stack JS if you're up for building it from scratch!
I found The Odin Project really helpful! It covers a lot of ground, and you might even enjoy the learning process!