Dev Handbook

Overview

Dev Handbook is a static reference site I built with Hugo and deployed through Netlify. It covers common web development topics, organized by subject so you can find a specific thing without reading through a tutorial. The goal was a fast, minimal reference that works more like documentation than a blog.

Problem

Most web development resources are long tutorials written for people learning from scratch. Dev Handbook is for the moments when you already know roughly what you need and just want the syntax, the options, or a quick reminder. Fast to load, no noise, right answer.

My Role

I built and organized the static site, focusing on clear content structure, fast page delivery, and a layout that stays out of the way of the content.

Key Features

• •Static documentation-style pages organized by topic, not by publication date.
• •Minimal interface designed to keep focus on the content.
• •Deployed and served through Netlify with no server-side complexity.

Technical Decisions

• •Hugo generates the site from plain content files, which makes adding pages straightforward and keeps load times fast.
• •Simple page templates so the reference content is never competing with the UI for attention.
• •Static hosting through Netlify means no runtime infrastructure and fast global delivery.

Challenges Solved

• •Organizing a broad range of development topics into a structure that makes sense to navigate.
• •Keeping pages lightweight as the content library grew, without compromising on code example formatting.
• •Finding the right balance between enough context to be useful and short enough to be a quick reference.

Technical Considerations

• •Static pages and minimal client-side JavaScript mean the site loads fast on any connection.
• •Heading structure makes individual pages navigable with keyboard shortcuts and screen readers.
• •The layout is intentionally plain so returning users can jump to the section they need without scanning the page.

What I Would Improve Next

• •Site-wide search so users can find a topic without browsing by category.
• •Code block copy buttons for quicker use.
• •A review and contribution process to keep reference content accurate over time.