i recently built this website using hugo and the papermod theme. here’s what i learned and why i chose this stack.
why hugo?
hugo is fast. really fast. it generates my entire site in under 100ms. that’s important because:
- speed matters - users expect instant page loads
- seo benefits - google loves fast sites
- developer experience - quick builds mean faster iteration
why papermod theme?
papermod is clean, minimal, and focused on content. it’s perfect for:
- blogging - great typography and readability
- portfolio - showcases projects effectively
- personal branding - professional but approachable
the build process
- setup - installed hugo and cloned papermod theme
- configuration - customized the config.yaml file
- content - wrote markdown files for pages and posts
- styling - adjusted colors and layout to match my brand
- deployment - ready for github pages
key features
- responsive design - works on all devices
- dark mode - easy on the eyes
- search functionality - helps users find content
- rss feeds - for blog subscribers
- social sharing - easy to share posts
what i learned
- markdown is powerful - write once, publish everywhere
- static sites are underrated - fast, secure, reliable
- content first - design should serve the content
- simplicity wins - less is more
next steps
i plan to add:
- analytics - track visitor behavior
- comments - enable discussions
- newsletter - email subscriptions
- more content - regular blog posts
conclusion
hugo + papermod is a great combination for personal websites. it’s fast, flexible, and focused on what matters most - your content.
if you’re thinking about building a personal website, give hugo a try. you won’t regret it.
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