Changing My Way of Thinking
I have built and developed solutions utilizing different type frameworks and libraries over the years and the one technology that I have always leaned on is React. Looking at my some of my old projects that were written in pure HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and I always wondered what it would be like to write those static website in React form.
After asking Google for some insight I ran across two possibilities. Next.JS, was my first viable option, because of range of capabilities and the simple fact that Marvel Studios used it for one of their movie sites(not a good reason, more fanboy love than anything). Next.JS gives you the ability to modularize your styles, with CSS-in-JS, static exports, progressive web app services, and of course server-side rendering. And probably the most important part was the developer experience with file system-based routing, hot-code reloading, and no config production builds. Wow, what a winner, but It wouldn't be right if I didn't do my due diligence and search for other options.
I gave it a rest for that day and resumed my search the next day. Next on my list was Gatsby. I know what you are thinking, that movie with Leonardo Dicaprio! I will stop here and say that I have read "The Great Gatsby" and although I think there aren't many movies that compare to their book counterpart...this movie was pretty good...to me anyway. Ok, let's get this train back on track.
Gatsby.JS is an open source framework like Next.JS that is built on React, that has quite the same similarities that Next.JS does, but with one feature that I have grown to love in the last few months. GraphQL, has been an amazing adoption to a developer like me who struggles with API query languages. GraphQL gives the clients the ability to ask for what data it needs and nothing more. I no longer have to make query calls that are bloated with un-needed data, I ask GraphQL for what I need and it gives it to me on the spot. Ok...so Gatsby has GraphQl under the hood and I am impressed.
So with my eyes on my next project, I want to rewrite my portfolio site and add a blog. In the past I would have use PHP and WordPress, but I wanted an easier work-flow. Searching through Gatsby docs I stumbled upon Contentful. Contentful is the new CMS powerhouse on the streets, and guess what?.. it seamlessly integrates with Gatsby, GraphQL, and even one of my favorite hosting sites, Netlify. Oh baby!! Now I am excited.
I am not sure if I am completely hooked on this new process, but I am certainly enjoying myself. Whatever path I choose I now know that powerful tools like Gatsby and Contentful are here to make the development process easier, and much more expedited.