Does our technology still work for us?
I've seen a lot of talk recently about all the work that we need to do to help usher in the new age of "AI Agents." That really begs the question, does our technology still work for us or are we working for it?
Bryan Robinson's Blog
Hello, World! I'm a designer and developer with over a decade of experience building experiences and leading teams on the web. I write and record about HTML, CSS, the power of static sites and good, clean design.
Latest posts
Product pricing, dev bad habits, and the role of the pit of success
Pricing disincentivizes best practices. It shouldn’t. Let's look at how improper pricing affects how developers use your product.
Astro Server Island for latest Bluesky post (heavily cached!)
Hopefully later, I'll come back and do a full write up, but in the meantime, here's a video of creating an Astro Server Island to show your latest Bluesky post. This is what powers my "latest from bluesky" widget on the homepage of this site.
Type-safe environment variables in Astro 5.0
Astro’s 5.0 beta has released a stable version of its astro:env module. This allows for developers to configure a schema for their environment variables and then take advantage of new feature this opens.
New Website, but really is it?
Launched a new version of the website... it's still pretty much the same, but way less complicated
Netlify Durable Cache: Caching for a third-party world
In this tutorial, we’ll take a look at setting up Netlify’s Durable Cache on a third-party API with (artificially) slow returns. We’ll use a proxied dev.to API, throttle it a bit, and see the effects of durable caching on the responses. We’ll also build a function to clear specific authors from the cache to get the most up-to-date information without a full rebuild.
Introducing the Hygraph Astro Content Loader
Hygraph and Astro were already a match made in heaven. Now with the Hygraph Content Loader, setting things up has never been easier.
Integrating Astro.js Starlight Documentation into a Next.js Project Using Proxies
Using Astro Starlight is almost a dream, but documentation sometimes lives separately from a main project site. In this tutorial, we'll tackle adding Starlight as a subroute to a Next.js site with proxies
Jamstack is meaningless
Right at the top, let’s say what’s in the title… The name Jamstack is meaningless… but then again, so is MACH … and composable… and headless… and Developer experience… and serverless…, but also, they’re all hugely important Meaningless and hugely important seem to be almost diametrically opposed, so let me take a step back and explain
😱 Book Release: Eleventy by Example – Learn 11ty with 5 in-depth projects
Oh! Hey! I wrote a book. Fancy that! It's, of course, all about 11ty.
11ty Second 11ty: Creating Template Filters
This week, we’re going to dive into 11ty filters. We’ll use 1 built-in filter, and make 2 custom filters.
11ty Second 11ty: Global Data files (JS and JSON)
In these two videos, we take 110 seconds each to discuss how to use 11ty's Global Data files to pull static data with JSON and dynamic (at build time) data with JavaScript.
11ty second 11ty: The Render Plugin Part 1
The Render plugin is comprised of two shortcodes for use in your Nunjucks, Liquid or JS templates. It’s a plugin that is bundled with the main 11ty NPM package and ready to use as soon as you nom install 11ty.
Help needed: Netlify's Dusty Domains event – Give me your domain ideas
Netlify has this great event for December: dusty.domains, but I don’t have any old domains. I still want to participate, and that's where you come in! I need domain ideas. For every domain idea I get (that's an available domain), I'll donate $1 to one of the four charities on the Dusty Domains site (up to $100).
Frontend environment variables with Astro.js
How to set up environment variables for use in client-side "islands" in AstroJS
Quick experiment with the Slinkity 11ty plugin
A quick write up of my first experiment with the Slinkity 11ty plugin. We build a quick "Like" button for my son's art site.
Creating a dynamic color converter with 11ty Serverless
11ty started out as a static site generator, but is quickly getting into the dynamic game. Use the templates and structure you love, but use them on the server, as well!
Using 11ty JavaScript Data files to mix Markdown and CMS content into one collection
In this article, we'll mix Markdown files with external data sources to create a unified 11ty Collection.
How to show your template code in 11ty blog posts
If you write a technical blog and use 11ty as your static site generator of choice you might run into a conundrum: How do you show Liquid or Nunjucks template code in your code blocks.
New City, New Job, New Content
In July, I've moved to a new state and started a new job. I'm now living in the mitten-state of Michigan and working for the awesome DevRel team at Sanity.io!
Using Nunjucks 'If Expressions' in 11ty to create a simple active navigation state
In this tutorial, we'll set up a simple navigation, identify what page navigation item we need to activate based on URL parts and add an active class to that element with no need of an if tag
Climbing the 11ty Performance leaderboard with Cloudinary, critical CSS and more
A few weeks ago, Zach Leatherman announced that he was going to change the Built with 11ty section 11ty's documentation. He was going to create a performance leaderboard to showcase performant projects using the tool. I wanted my site to break into the top 100!
Three JAMstack movements to watch in 2020
This article covers three topics I think will help define the JAMstack in 2020.
Create a Codepen promo watermark with no additional HTML, CSS or JS
In this tutorial, we'll cover the basics of adding a watermark to a CodePen Pen with no additional html, css or js on that pen.
3 underused CSS features to learn for 2020
CSS has a whole lot of power. There are properties and values for any number of amazing designs. With all that power comes a lot to remember. If you don't know about all the tools in your toolbox, how will you find the right one for the job? In this post, we'll take a look at three lesser-used, but super useful tools for various jobs in CSS.
Use CSS Subgrid to layout full-width content stripes in an article template
I love JavaScript, but I love rendered HTML much more, so I challenged myself to convert James' client-side JS code to something that rendered HTML. I wanted to do it as quickly and as concisely as possible.
Adapt client-side JavaScript for use in 11ty (Eleventy) data files
I love JavaScript, but I love rendered HTML much more, so I challenged myself to convert James' client-side JS code to something that rendered HTML. I wanted to do it as quickly and as concisely as possible.
CSS Gap creates a bright future for margins in Flex as well as Grid
In this tutorial, we'll take a look at how we've added margins in the past with Flex and how gap makes it so we can have these internal margins with no hacks.
Create your first CSS Custom Properties (Variables)
In this tutorial, we'll tackle one of the amazing new features of CSS: Custom Properties. You may also have heard them referred to as CSS Variables.
Use CSS Grid to create a self-centering full-width element
In this tutorial, use CSS Grid to create a self-centering full-width element. Traditionally, this required extra markup, but with CSS Grid, we won't need it!
Creating an 11ty Plugin - SVG Embed Tool
In the sites I’ve built with Eleventy (11ty) recently, I’ve found myself reusing a couple filters. This has involved me copying and pasting the code a lot. The solution? Create an 11ty Plugin.
Now offering design and code reviews at PeerReviews.dev
For the past few months, I’ve talked with a lot of different people about how best to serve up-and-coming designers and developers. I want to be a resource for people learning to code and learning about design. So, when my friend James Q. Quick released his first code review on YouTube, I knew I needed to follow along.
Routing contact-form emails to different addresses with Netlify, Zapier and SendGrid
When your client wants dynamic form processing, and your site is "static," what are you going to do? In this article, we'll explore two methods to do dynamic form routing based on a user's answer to a form field.
Create an Eleventy (11ty) theme based on a free HTML template
In this video series, we'll take a look at what it takes to start with a free HTML template found on Google and convert it for use with a static site generator (SSG). We'll be using my personal favorite SSG 11ty (EleventyJS).
Client work and the JAMstack
I worked at an agency for almost six years. In that time, I created only a handful of static sites. Part of this was because the agency had a custom content management system. The other part was an unwillingness to give up "dynamic" websites. I've created a website to aggregate resources for agencies and freelancers looking to branch out into the JAMstack.
Grid vs. Flex: A Tale of a "Simple" Promo Space
I love the new layout modes in CSS. Grid and Flexbox are both amazing features. They each have their place. What if I told you that if you used the "wrong" one, you could double your CSS and HTML? Let's take a look at what appears to be a simple promo grid.
Using Eleventy's (11ty) JavaScript Data Files
I enjoy building workflows for pure static sites. I enjoy ingesting data into my build process instead of loading my client-side with fetches. In this example, we'll use Eleventy's ability to use a JavaScript file, to execute code to fetch data on site build, negating the need for task runners like Gulp.
The Tech Barrier to Entry
I'm grateful for my unique journey to find my professional niche. It's taken a lot of twists and turns. Is my journey replicable in this era of developer tooling and convenience?
What Can We Learn from CERN's WorldWideWeb rebuild?
Have you ever wanted to go back in time and see what it was like to browse the web using Sir Tim Berners-Lee's first web browser? I have. Apparently so did the team at CERN. For the 30th anniversary of the world's first web browser, The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) brought togoether a team to recreate WorldWideWeb in a modern browser.
Let's bring Fan Sites and webrings back!
In the days before the web was mainstream, it was a place of creation. First for education, then for every random idea that any creator had! As the web transitioned from a network of educational institutions to the consumer force it is today, the early adopters were technologists... AKA geeks!
Practical CSS Grid - Launching My First Course
Late last year, I took the plunge and began to work full time on my passion - education. That has led to today. Today, I officially launched my first online course - Practical CSS Grid!
Build Trust on the Web incorporating User Worries with your User Stories
The web is suffering from a crisis of trust. Every week there’s a new story posted about a data breach or untrustworthy practices (I’m looking at you, Facebook). How can we fix that? When we create user stories for new features, shouldn’t we also create user worries about them?
2019 The Year of Markup-First Development
The state of the web in 2018 has been heavy into the world of JavaScript. We've made amazing advancements in the way our sites work. Every site has the ability to feel like an application. Without HTML, though, our fancy future may have a dystopian layer right beneath the surface.
Refactoring CSS into a Sass mixin
It struck me recently as I was writing a new Sass mixin that there may be designers and developers out there that haven't translated vanilla CSS into a Sass function. In this article, I want to show how to take often-used CSS and convert it into a DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) Sass mixin.
Starting a new journey with Code Contemporary
I'm beginning my new journey as an independent creator. I've left the comfortable confines of agency life to see what I can do creating resources for designers and developers. I'll be writing, recording, speaking and consulting. Much of this will be under the heading of my new company Code Contemporary
Dynamic Static Sites with Netlify and iOS Shortcuts
An experiment adding dynamic functionality to this site pushed via iOS shortcuts and Netlify functions
Top 3 uses for the ::before and ::after CSS pseudo elements
It’s no secret that I'm a fan of ::before and ::after pseudo-elements. I use them to great effect for creating darkened overlays in this previous post. They have so many uses beyond that, though. Here are my top 3 uses for them in my every-day development process.
How To: Use CSS Grid to Mix and Match Design Patterns
In a previous tutorial, I described how to create a simple fluid card grid with CSS Grid. In this tutorial, we'll take it a step farther and create promotional spaces that morph in interesting ways.
Use CSS ::before and ::after for simple, spicy image overlays
Use :after elements to create the simplest HTML possible to render useful and fun overlays on top of background images. Then extend them with blend-modes!
Modern CSS: Four Things Every Developer and Designer Should Know About CSS
Contrary to popular belief, CSS is an absolute delight. Many developers I talk to think the phrase "Modern CSS" is an oxymoron. If you haven’t been watching the growth and maturity of CSS in the past 5 years, you’re doing yourself a disservice.