tldr: What would a smallweb-style “code viewer” look like? What kind of theme and UI elements should it have? Here’s my attempt: https://repos.tuckerm.us/ui-experiments/branches/main/demo/

While self-hostable git forges like Forgejo are really cool, I also think they’re overkill for most use cases. When I just want to put some side projects up on the web, I don’t need an issue tracker or a discussion forum. I know you can disable those features in Forgejo, but what if I just didn’t have those features at all? And therefore didn’t need much of a backend server?

I recently realized that most of what I want in a git repo viewer can be done with just static HTML files. I started working on that as an 11ty static site generator plugin.

It’s very very hacky right now, but it works as a proof of concept. I’m improving it now. If people end up using it, I’m hoping that they customize it to fit the style of their existing personal site. But I want it to come with a default theme so that it can be used right out of the box.

I was playing around with an idea for a look and feel here: https://repos.tuckerm.us/ui-experiments/branches/main/demo/

At first I was using the stock Bootstrap UI components, which are practical and professional. But then I decided that this smallweb repo viewer should have a look and feel that matches the ethos of the project itself: personal, not corporate, and open to being expressive. And not just trying look like Github with no backend.

The current, Bootstrap-styled pages are here, and that is also the repository for the project itself. But I’d love to make it more unique that that.

Does anyone have any input for a look and feel for this project? I’m open to anything. A color palette you like, a basic layout, or general ideas.