The coders corner and Web design by dave

Web design is a rapidly changing field, both technologies and web-design standards change frequently leaving one with fairly frequent update cycles. In addition to this, any non-static CMS based solution must be updated frequently to ensure that the most recent version. If you've not updated your CMS solution in some time, I recommend you do so as soon as you can. Even better, I recommend that most small sites use a static content manager such as Hugo CMS or Jeckyl. With this there are far fewer moving parts to look after.

For new websites my recommendation unless you have specifc other requirements, I recommend you use a static content management system, and pick one that favours stability and security over features. If you need any dynamic features, I would recomend React for that.

Can you build your own site?

It is possible to build your own site, as long as you are quite technical and can understand HTML and CSS, there is no reason not to have a go. Most of the generative AI tools can provide a lot of assistance with the development effort. But bear in mind this is not a quick process, if you are not used to web development, allow time to understand CSS, HTML and hosting.

Personally, I would recommend a static content management solution and managed web-hosting, from any reputable provider. A good starting point for developers that are unfamiliar with web-development is w3 schools.

Questions to ask before starting designing a web site

• What you want the site to look like? Remember the more complex, the greater the cost will be. Draw some simple story boards of your website to get started.
• Check who is going to own the copyright for the work once complete, and then ensure you are happy with that. It's not always a problem for someone else to own the copyright and give a 100 year lease, but it's best to know this upfront.
• Is the site going to be static, or based on a content management solution? Forget what you used to know about static sites, with Hugo or Jeckyl they are just as powerful as dynamic solutions.
• Do you need an ecommerce / shop presence? If so, which shopping cart and payment system are you going to use. Does your company have a long enough track record to meet the card payment credit checks.
• If you are building an e-shop, do you have an existing stock management system? If so you will need a shop solution that is compatible with that stock system.
• Mobile support is now very important, Google actively check if a site is mobile friendly (makes up > 10% of visitors) even the technology pages on this site.
• Have you yet registered the domain? If not think long and hard about what domain to choose as once you're on a domain, it's difficult to change it.