Building Simple, Clean Websites

Building Simple, Clean Websites

In an era of complex web frameworks and feature-heavy sites, there’s something refreshing about returning to simplicity. Today I rebuilt my personal website with a focus on clean, minimalist design - and here’s why I think that matters.

The Problem with Complexity

Many modern websites suffer from:

• Feature bloat - Too many unnecessary elements and interactions
• Slow loading times - Heavy frameworks and excessive assets
• Poor readability - Cluttered layouts that distract from content
• Maintenance overhead - Complex systems that break easily

The Power of Simplicity

A simple, clean website offers:

Better User Experience

• Fast loading - Minimal CSS and JavaScript means quick page loads
• Clear navigation - Users can find what they need immediately
• Readable content - Typography and spacing optimized for reading
• Mobile-friendly - Simple layouts work naturally on all devices

Easier Maintenance

• Less code - Fewer things that can break
• Better performance - Lightweight sites run smoothly everywhere
• Future-proof - Simple HTML and CSS ages well
• Accessible - Clean markup works better with screen readers

Design Principles I Used

1. Typography First

• Choose one good font family and stick with it
• Use consistent spacing and hierarchy
• Optimize line height and text size for readability

2. Generous White Space

• Let content breathe
• Don’t fill every pixel
• Use margins and padding effectively

3. Minimal Color Palette

• Start with black, white, and gray
• Add one accent color for links and highlights
• Support both light and dark modes naturally

4. Content-Focused Layout

• Make the content the hero
• Remove distracting elements
• Keep navigation simple and consistent

Technical Implementation

This site uses:

• Jekyll for static site generation
• Plain CSS with CSS custom properties for theming
• No JavaScript for core functionality
• Semantic HTML for accessibility

The entire CSS file is under 300 lines and handles everything from layout to responsive design to dark mode.

Results

The rebuilt site:

• Loads in under 1 second
• Works perfectly on mobile devices
• Automatically adapts to system dark/light mode
• Scores 100/100 on accessibility tests
• Is easy to update and maintain

Conclusion

Sometimes the best solution is the simplest one. By focusing on content, readability, and user experience rather than trendy features, we can create websites that actually serve their purpose: communicating effectively with visitors.

The goal isn’t to be boring - it’s to be useful. And often, simplicity is the most useful approach of all.

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What are your thoughts on minimalist web design? I’d love to hear your experiences with simple vs. complex websites.