What it's like creating a simple free website in 2025
Matt Sayar reflects on enhancing his long-owned website, mattsayar.com, using Cloudflare for security and Publii for content management, emphasizing the potential of free, open-source tools in 2025.
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In a recent post, Matt Sayar details his journey of creating a simple, free website in 2025. He reflects on his long history with the domain mattsayar.com, which he has owned since 2010, and his initial use of platforms like WordPress and Tumblr. After years of minimal content, he decided to enhance his site, prioritizing security due to his background in cybersecurity. He utilized Cloudflare for security and DNS management, although he faced challenges in establishing a secure connection between Cloudflare and his AWS S3 bucket. Ultimately, he opted for Cloudflare Pages, which offers a free tier, to host his site. Sayar chose Publii as his content management system, allowing him to publish updates via GitHub. He appreciates the simplicity of static site generators like Publii, despite acknowledging that more dynamic features may be needed in the future. He contrasts his approach with services like Wix and Squarespace, which offer user-friendly solutions at a cost. Sayar concludes that while his method may not be the easiest, it showcases the potential of open-source tools and free hosting options available today.
- Matt Sayar has owned mattsayar.com since 2010 and transitioned from various platforms to enhance his website.
- He prioritized security by using Cloudflare and faced challenges with SSL/TLS configurations.
- Sayar chose Cloudflare Pages and Publii for hosting and content management, respectively.
- He appreciates the benefits of static site generators while recognizing the potential need for dynamic features later.
- The article highlights the availability of free and open-source tools for website creation in 2025.
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