Over the years, I've received countless requests from friends and clients seeking guidance on building simple websites. While they don't need complex, production-grade applications, they do want to establish their online presence effectively. This guide distills my experience into practical steps for non-developers – whether you're a small business owner, creative professional, or anyone looking to create a website without diving deep into web development.
#Securing Your Domain Name
The foundation of any website begins with a domain name - your unique address on the internet. While many website builders offer domain registration services, I recommend purchasing your domain separately for greater flexibility and control. After a decade of experience, I've found Namecheap.com to be the most reliable domain registrar.
Essential Steps When Purchasing:
- Choose your registration period (minimum one year)
- Skip unnecessary add-ons, except for ICANN fees which are mandatory
- Enable two-factor authentication immediately for security
Pro Tip: For hobby projects, start with a one-year registration. You can always renew or extend later as your project grows.
#Start Simple: Publishing with Notion
Notion↗. Not every project requires a full-fledged website builder. When you need to share organized information in a professional format, Notion offers an excellent middle ground. It's more polished than a Google Doc but simpler than a traditional website.
What makes Notion stand out:
- Powerful data organization tools
- Public page publishing feature
- Custom domain support
- Built-in hierarchy for pages and sub-pages
#Level Up: Designing with Framer
Framer↗ has emerged as a powerful tool for creating visually stunning websites without coding. Key features include:
- Pre-built components with professional designs
- Responsive layouts out of the box
- Easy integration with popular services
- Smart animations and interactions
- CMS capabilities for content management
The platform particularly shines for portfolios, landing pages, and product websites where design quality is paramount.
#Going Custom: Building with React Frameworks
Modern React frameworks expand what's possible with web development. Here are two popular options:
Next.js↗ is a robust framework trusted by companies like TikTok and Nike. It handles both static and dynamic websites beautifully, comes with excellent documentation, and deploys seamlessly with Vercel. The built-in routing and API capabilities make it a solid choice for complex projects. My personal website↗ is build using Next.js.
Astro↗ shines when building content-focused websites. It's unique because it ships zero JavaScript by default, resulting in lightning-fast performance. Astro supports multiple UI frameworks and has become increasingly popular for blogs and documentation sites.
#Making it Live: Website Deployment Options
When it comes to getting your site online, these platforms make it surprisingly simple:
Vercel↗ offers one-click deployments with automatic SSL certificates. Their free tier is generous, and they provide built-in analytics and performance monitoring. If you're using Next.js, Vercel is the natural choice as they built and maintain the framework.
Netlify↗ excels at static site hosting with features like form handling and basic authentication built-in. Their branch deploys and preview deployments make team collaboration smooth. The platform is particularly good for static sites and offers a robust free tier.
#Work Smarter: AI Tools for Development
AI tools are transforming how we build websites. Here are some standouts:
Bolt↗ generates code using AI and enables quick prototyping. It integrates well with popular frameworks and can significantly speed up development time.
Cursor↗ brings AI assistance directly to your code editor with smart completions and debugging help. It's particularly useful when learning new frameworks or debugging complex issues.
Zed↗ focuses on collaborative editing with AI-powered code navigation. Its high-performance editor makes it great for team projects and pair programming sessions.
#3 Layers to Choosing a Tool for Your Website
There are 3 layers when thinking about building a website. If you need something to share information and you need the changes to be flexible and easy to make, and you don't care much about design, use Notion.
If you want to use a website builder, go with Framer. It feels great if you have a design eye and want to create delightful animations and designs, while keeping them accessible.
And if you want to create something custom in terms of design or functionality (add payments, add authentication, integrations with developer tools) using something like Next.js or Astro, these are React frameworks that would open up more possibilities. I recommend this course to learn more about React Frameworks↗ - this is a great place to begin.
If you decide that you want to create a website with frameworks, take into account that you'll face lots of technical learning curves. This is fantastic! Learning how to build custom websites doesn't mean that you need to be a developer; it just means it's a way to add another layer of knowledge to whatever project you're working on.