My Journey Building This Blog: From Zero to Hero đ
TL;DR
Built my personal blog using Astro, Tailwind CSS, TypeScript, and MDX, deployed on Cloudflare Pages with automatic GitLab integration, and snagged a free .is-a.dev domain. Total cost? $0. Total satisfaction? Through the roof. Hereâs how I did it and why these tools are absolute game-changers for any developer who needs things to just work.
The Stack That Made It Happen âĄď¸
Let me give credit where credit is due - these tools made my life so much easier:
đŻ Astro - The Static Site Champion
Astro became my ride-or-die framework for this blog. Itâs like having a sports car that only uses fuel when you actually need to go fast. The default blog template gave me a head start that would make any developer shed a happy tear.
What makes Astro special:
- Ships zero JavaScript by default (because who needs bloat?)
- Islands architecture lets you sprinkle interactivity exactly where you need it
- Built-in TypeScript support that actually works
- MDX support out of the box
- Lightning-fast static site generation
đ¨ Tailwind CSS - The Styling Wizard
Tailwind CSS turned my CSS anxiety into CSS confidence. No more staring at empty style files wondering where to start. The utility-first approach means I can style components without leaving my HTML.
Why Tailwind rocks:
- Utility classes for rapid development
- No CSS bloat or naming conflicts
- JIT mode for blazing-fast builds
- Responsive design made simple
đ§ TypeScript - The Error Catcher
Having TypeScript baked into Astro saved me from so many late-night debugging sessions. I need my code to work the first time.
đ MDX - The Content King
MDX lets me write blog posts in Markdown but with the power to drop in JSX components when needed. Itâs like having a Swiss Army knife for content creation.
đ Cloudflare Pages - The Deployment Powerhouse
Cloudflare Pages became my new deployment home and itâs been absolutely incredible. Built on Cloudflareâs massive global network with hundreds edge locations, it delivers unmatched performance and developer experience.
Why Cloudflare Pages is a game-changer:
- Lightning-fast global CDN - Content served from hundreds locations worldwide
- Unlimited bandwidth and sites - Completely free, no hidden costs
- Direct GitLab integration - Push code and deploy automatically
- Instant preview deployments - Every commit gets a shareable preview URL
- Built-in DDoS protection - Cloudflareâs security baked right in
- Free SSL certificates - HTTPS everywhere, automatically managed
- Zero configuration - No Docker, no complex setup, just works
- Edge Functions/Workers - Serverless capabilities when you need them
- Blazing-fast builds - Noticeably faster than competitors
đ is-a.dev - The Domain Hero
Grabbing is-a.devâs free subdomain through their GitHub repo was surprisingly simple. No fees, no hassle, just a clean domain that says âIâm a developerâ.
The Challenges I Faced (Because Nothingâs Ever Perfect) đ
Challenge #1: Choice Paralysis
The web development ecosystem has more options than a Netflix menu. Choosing between frameworks, CSS solutions, and deployment platforms can be overwhelming.
How I solved it: I focused on my core requirements - fast, free, and low maintenance. This eliminated 90% of the noise.
Challenge #2: GitLab + Cloudflare Pages Integration
Cloudflare Pages has native GitLab support, but initially I wasnât sure about the setup process.
How I solved it: Cloudflare Pages supports GitLab repos directly through their Git integration. After connecting and authorizing GitLab access, itâs completely seamlessâpush your code and Cloudflare handles everything automatically.
Challenge #3: Domain Configuration
Getting the .is-a.dev domain pointed to Cloudflare Pages required updating DNS records and waiting for propagation.
How I solved it: Cloudflareâs DNS management made this straightforward, and propagation was surprisingly fastâusually within minutes.
Challenge #4: Learning Curve
Even with great tools, thereâs always something new to learn. Astroâs component syntax, Tailwindâs utility classes, and understanding Cloudflareâs edge network all required some brain space.
How I solved it: Started small, built incrementally, and leaned heavily on documentation and community examples.
Why I Chose This Stack đ¤
The âItâs All Freeâ Factor
Letâs be real - as someone building side projects and personal sites, budget matters. This entire stack costs exactly $0 to run:
- Astro: Open source and free
- Cloudflare Pages Free Tier: Unlimited bandwidth, unlimited sites, 500 builds/month, free SSL, DDoS protection
- is-a.dev domain: Community-driven and free
- Tailwind: Free and open source
The âNo Infrastructure Babysittingâ Factor
My free time is precious, so I needed tools that work reliably without constant maintenance. Cloudflare Pages handles builds, scaling, SSL certificates, global distribution, and security automatically.
The âPerformance Firstâ Factor
These tools prioritize speed and developer happiness:
- Astro: Hot reloading, great error messages, TypeScript integration
- Tailwind: IntelliSense support, consistent design system, purged CSS
- Cloudflare Pages: Hundreds global edge locations, intelligent caching, HTTP/3 support
- MDX: Write content in familiar Markdown with component superpowers
The Wins That Made It All Worth It đ
âĄď¸ Unmatched Performance
My blog is noticeably faster on Cloudflare Pages compared to other platforms. Pages typically load in under 0.5 seconds thanks to Cloudflareâs massive edge network and intelligent caching.
My Cloudflare Speed Test Result đ
đ§ Zero Maintenance
I push code to GitLab and Cloudflare Pages automatically builds and deploys the changes globally. No server management, SSL renewal, or scaling headaches.
đ¸ $0 Monthly Costs
The whole setup runs on incredibly generous free tiers. Unlimited bandwidth and sites means Iâll never hit limits.
đ Room to Grow
When I need more features, everything scales beautifully:
- Cloudflare Workers for serverless functions
- Edge-side logic and dynamic functionality
- Advanced security features and analytics
đĽ Great Developer Community
All the tools have active, welcoming communities. Cloudflareâs documentation is thorough and their developer experience keeps getting better.
What Iâd Do Next đ
Consider Astro Content Collections
Astro Content Collections would have given me better TypeScript integration for my blog posts from day one.
Plan for SEO
While Astro is SEO-friendly by default, I could have been more strategic about meta tags, structured data, and social sharing.
Use A Design System
A design system like shadcn/ui would have transformed the dev experience from the start. Implement it early to prevent random button/component styling across pages.
Explore Cloudflare Workers
With my site on Cloudflare Pages, adding Workers for dynamic functionality would be seamless. Cloudflare Workers allow me to run serverless functions at the edge, close to my users, for features like form submissions, API integrations, and more.
For Fellow Developers đ¨âđť
If youâre a developer looking for a simple, effective blog setup, this stack is perfect because:
- Lightning Setup: Get from zero to globally deployed in under an hour.
- Unbeatable Performance: Cloudflareâs hundreds edge locations deliver content milliseconds from users.
- Rock-solid Reliability: Built-in DDoS protection and 99.9%+ uptime.
- Cost-Effective: Unlimited everything on the free tier.
- Future-proof: Modern tooling that scales with your needs.
The Bottom Line â¨
Building this blog taught me that the best stack isnât always the newest or most complex one. Sometimes itâs the combo that works together seamlessly, costs nothing, and lets you focus on what mattersâcreating content and sharing knowledge.
Astro, Tailwind, TypeScript, MDX, Cloudflare Pages, and is-a.dev arenât just toolsâtheyâre enablers. They took my idea from concept to reality with zero drama and maximum performance.
If youâre thinking about starting a blog or personal site, this combo is seriously underrated. Cloudflare Pages especially brings enterprise-grade performance and reliability to your personal projects for free.
Summary
My blog-building journey proved that picking the right mix can make dev life so much smoother. Astroâs static-first approach + Tailwindâs utility-first CSS + TypeScriptâs safety net + MDXâs content superpowers = a stack thatâs both fun and productive.
Cloudflare Pagesâs seamless GitLab integration eliminates infrastructure headaches while delivering content from hundreds global edge locations, with unlimited bandwidth, built-in security, and instant deploymentsâall free. The is-a.dev domain provides a professional developer-friendly domain without any cost.
Result: A blazing-fast, globally distributed, $0-cost blog thatâs actually enjoyable to maintain. The best tech choices get out of your way and let you focus on your storyânot the plumbing.
Stack Recap:
- Frontend: Astro + Tailwind CSS + TypeScript + MDX
- Deployment: Cloudflare Pages (free tier) with automatic GitLab integration
- Domain: is-a.dev subdomain
- CI/CD: Built into Cloudflare Pagesâs Git integration
- Total Monthly Cost: $0
- Developer Happiness: To The Moon đ
