“Fast, flexible, future-ready.” That’s how I envisioned rishwanth.dev — not just as a portfolio, but as an evolving personal platform. After experimenting with React, Next.js, WordPress, and headless CMS options, I decided to rebuild my entire website with Astro, Tailwind CSS, and markdown-based content.
Why Astro Over Next.js or React?
I’ve spent years building with full-stack frameworks like Next.js. But for a personal site where performance and simplicity are key, Astro offered what others didn’t:
- Zero-JS by default: Astro renders static HTML and ships minimal JavaScript. This dramatically reduces page load time and improves Lighthouse scores out of the box.
- Partial hydration: I could use React components only where needed, like interactive forms or dynamic carousels.
- Built for content-first workflows: Astro supports Markdown and MDX natively. That made it easier to treat writing as code — ideal for developer blogs.
Why Tailwind?
Tailwind CSS gave me full design control without writing a single custom CSS file. I could:
- Build responsive layouts fast using utility classes
- Keep my design consistent across components
- Apply dark mode support with just a few conditionals
Combined with Astro’s component model, I was able to prototype and iterate the design in real-time.
Developer-Focused Content Architecture
Instead of using a headless CMS like Sanity, Contentful, or Strapi, I chose to manage my writing using .md and .mdx files.
Why?
- 🔒 No external service dependencies — everything lives in the repo.
- 🧠 Better version control — I can track writing changes in Git.
- ⚡️ Faster builds & minimal overhead — Astro compiles Markdown directly.
- ✍️ Easier authoring — I write in Markdown using VS Code, with syntax highlighting and local previews.
From a Solutions Architect lens, this approach reduces attack surfaces, improves reliability, and lowers ongoing maintenance effort. My site doesn’t rely on third-party APIs or databases — it builds entirely at deploy time.
Projects and Writings as Code
Every project and writing is stored as frontmatter-rich Markdown. That means:
- Projects can be filtered or sorted based on tags, tech stack, or dates
- Blog posts can have custom metadata like cover images, reading time, or series grouping
- I can generate RSS feeds, SEO meta tags, and sitemap entries dynamically
This is far more flexible than CMS systems where you’re tied to their UI and query system. With Astro, I own my content pipeline.
Technical Tradeoffs
| Decision | Benefit | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
| Astro (Static Site Generator) | Fast performance, low infra cost, works on CDN | Not suitable for server-side personalization |
| Markdown over CMS | Developer-friendly, Git-powered editing | No WYSIWYG UI for non-technical authors |
| Tailwind CSS | Design consistency, responsive utility | Steep learning curve initially |
| No DB or dynamic API | Ultra-reliable, low maintenance | Requires redeploy for content updates |
Closing Thoughts
Building this website wasn’t just about showcasing my skills — it was an exercise in architectural minimalism. As a Cloud Solutions Architect, I wanted the site to reflect my principles:
- Minimal moving parts
- Performance-first mindset
- Developer-experience without compromise
Astro and Tailwind helped me get there. And every piece of content — from projects to blogs — flows through a pipeline I fully control.
🛠️ Want to build something similar? Check out Astro, Tailwind, or my GitHub for the source code.
📬 Like my work?
Let’s collaborate or connect. Whether you’re building cloud-native platforms or story-driven experiences — I’m all ears.
👉 Email me at rishwanth.perumandla@hotmail.com