Thoughts
- [2026-02-11] About This Site
Retro-inspired, semantically modern portfolio web site
Architecture, Intent, and a Little Bit of Nerd Signaling
This page exists for two reasons:
- To transparently explain how this site is built.
- To quietly demonstrate that I know how to build serious production systems — even when the interface looks like it belongs on a 2400-baud modem.
The aesthetic is retro.
The implementation is not.
High-Level Architecture
At a glance, this site is:
- Server-rendered for SEO and performance
- Keyboard-navigable and ADA-conscious
- Inspired by pre-web terminal interfaces (BBS / telnet)
- Built with a modern CI/CD workflow
- Content-driven directly from a Git repository
It’s intentionally opinionated.
The goal wasn’t to create another gradient-heavy portfolio template.
The goal was to build something distinctive, durable, and technically coherent.
Server Rendering (SEO + Performance First)
This site uses server-side rendering (SSR) for all content pages.
Why?
- Search engines receive fully rendered HTML.
- First paint is fast.
- No client-side JavaScript bootstrapping is required to see content.
- Pages degrade gracefully if JavaScript is disabled.
While many personal sites default to SPA patterns, this site prioritizes:
- Deterministic HTML output
- Crawlable content
- Predictable performance
- Long-term stability
This is closer to how serious commerce storefronts are built than to a typical portfolio template.
A Terminal UI in the Browser
The interface is intentionally styled as a Text User Interface (TUI) — a callback to:
- Dial-up BBS systems
- Telnet sessions
- Pre-HTTP command-driven interfaces
Navigation is keyboard-first.
This is not a gimmick. It is both:
- A design choice
- An accessibility choice
The experience draws inspiration from:
- WordPerfect 5.1 (1989)
- DOS-era layout systems
- Structured, command-based interaction models
Underneath the aesthetic:
- It’s semantic HTML.
- It’s standards-compliant.
- It works with screen readers.
- It respects focus management and tab order.
The retro feel sits on top of modern accessibility practices.
Keyboard Navigation & ADA Considerations
Keyboard navigation is not an afterthought — it’s core to the interaction model.
Features include:
- Logical tab flow
- Visible focus states
- No pointer dependency
- Clear interactive targets
- ARIA where appropriate
- No keyboard traps
The BBS-style navigation reinforces accessibility:
- Clear command patterns
- Minimal layout shifts
- Predictable structure
- Text clarity over decorative complexity
In other words: the retro aesthetic actually reinforces usability.
Content in Code (On Purpose)
All site content lives inside the repository: