Custom PHP portals when WordPress isn’t enough
Client portals, dashboards and internal tools — when a bespoke PHP build is cleaner than forcing WordPress into a shape it hates, and how to scope it properly.
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Notes on coding, design & the web
PHP, JavaScript, CSS, performance, AI-assisted builds, security, Git, WordPress and building websites that last — written for people who build and buy sites.
- Code-firstNot only CMS tips
- Plain EnglishNo conference waffle
- UK studioReal project lessons
PHP that stays maintainable (without a framework religion)
How to structure PHP for real business sites and portals: clear folders, safe database access, Composer without bloat, and deploys you can reverse.
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JavaScript without the framework tax
When vanilla JS (or a tiny library) is the grown-up choice for marketing sites — and when a framework actually pays for itself. Progressive enhancement, performance and maintainability.
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Website performance clients can actually feel
Core Web Vitals in plain English: what moves LCP, CLS and responsiveness on real UK business sites — images, fonts, caching, third parties and hosting.
Read articleAI coding without shipping slop
A practical workflow for AI-assisted development: where it helps, where it fails, security non-negotiables, and how to keep human quality control on every line.
Read articleGit workflows that keep solo projects sane
Branches, commits, staging and rollbacks for freelancers and small teams — enough process to sleep at night, not so much you drown in ceremony.
Read articleCSS that scales without a design-system team
Design tokens, section bands, components and motion for marketing sites that stay coherent as pages multiply — technical CSS without a Figma army.
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Choosing a web stack in 2026 (without the hype)
WordPress, WooCommerce, custom PHP, static or headless — a decision frame for UK businesses based on content, commerce, integrations and who maintains the site.
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Security basics every small business site needs
HTTPS is table stakes. The short list that actually reduces “we got hacked” Mondays: updates, backups, least privilege, forms, headers and host hygiene.
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Best Blogging Platforms in 2026: A Practical Guide
A clear UK-focused guide to the best blogging platforms in 2026 — WordPress, Wix, Ghost, Medium, LinkedIn and more — and how to choose without the marketing fluff.
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Why Migrate from Drupal to WordPress
Practical Drupal to WordPress migration benefits: lower cost, easier editing, better day-to-day SEO, performance — and how to move without wrecking rankings.
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