Hi everyone!
I recently completed an advanced bootcamp covering HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, and Python. While the experience was educational, it left me feeling overwhelmed with information. Now, faced with building a website for a client, I’m unsure which approach to take given the plethora of options available—Framer, Webflow, React, Next.js, and others. I’m also concerned about security issues and how to address them with my client. Unfortunately, these bootcamps often don’t cover such practical aspects. I am seeking guidance and would greatly appreciate any suggestions.
The first question shouldn’t be “what tools will I use?” but “what tools do I need?” You can build a fantastic website with just a bit of HTML and CSS. Maybe a tiny bit of JS is needed? Fine. Nobody (including the client) cares what’s on the backend. People build perfectly fine websites without any JS frameworks/libraries at all, so while they may facilitate doing certain things, they aren’t needed for building a website generally.
If your client needs to log in and make changes, maybe consider using a CMS to build the site around — such as Craft, ExpressionEngine etc. (there are many more). But again, only use a CMS if you need one.
True I should ask “What tools do I need”. I think the issue here is the security, authenticity for username, password, etc and what to use. Thanks Ralphm
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An off-the-shelf CMS like Craft should handle safely logging in etc. if you aren’t sure how to handle it yourself.
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Hey nscoding88, congrats on finishing the bootcamp! For your client’s website, using a framework like React or Next.js will give you more control, but if it’s a simpler site, Webflow could be a good option (no coding needed). Security is important! Focus on keeping software updated and using libraries from trusted sources. There are also security plugins for frameworks. Good luck!
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Given your skills, using React with Next.js is a strong option for building a modern, performant website while reinforcing your recent learning. If you prefer a faster, visual approach, Webflow is great for quickly creating professional sites. For security, ensure input validation, HTTPS, environment variables, and regular updates.
Professional developers that have a college degree in application development first ask the question, what does the application need? What are the requirements? Complicated websites are usually called applications. A professional first determines the requirements then decides what is needed to satisfy those requirements.