Adding Static Files to a Gatsby Site
Add static files to a Gatsby site using the static folder, with notes on build output, verification files, legacy assets, and when not to process files.
Articles
Front‑end Development, page 15 of 25
Front‑end development is where product intent becomes the interface people actually use. My writing approaches it as engineering rather than surface decoration, with attention to browser behaviour and code that remains accessible, fast, and safe for a team to change.
Adding Static Files to a Gatsby Site. 
Keeping Gatsby Builds Predictable. Keeping Gatsby Builds Predictable
Keep Gatsby builds predictable by controlling data sources, plugins, image work, environment variables, cache assumptions, and build‑time dependencies.
Parent Selectors in CSS and Sass. Parent Selectors in CSS and Sass
Understand parent selectors in CSS and Sass, including how ampersand nesting works, :has() context, BEM trade‑offs, specificity, and readability.
Automatically Deploy a Static Gatsby Site via FTP. Automatically Deploy a Static Gatsby Site via FTP
Deploy a static Gatsby build over FTP with environment variables, ftp‑deploy, build scripts, and a practical CI flow for conventional or legacy hosting.
Using JavaScript to Avoid Orphans. Using JavaScript to Avoid Orphans
Orphans are annoying single‑word lines of text that hang at the end of a paragraph. It is straightforward using React and JS to banish them from your site.
Understanding getStaticPaths in Next.js. Understanding
getStaticPathsin Next.jsgetStaticPathsin Next.js explained with dynamic routes, pre‑rendered paths, fallback behaviour, and how static generation works for slug‑based pages.
Using CSS to Deal with Widows. Using CSS to Deal with Widows
In typography, a 'widow' is the last line of a paragraph, which falls alone on the following page or column. On the web, this can be easily tackled with CSS.
Use Greater‑Than and Less‑Than Symbols in JSX. Use Greater‑Than and Less‑Than Symbols in JSX
Render greater‑than and less‑than symbols in JSX safely, using strings or HTML entities whilst avoiding parser confusion and awkward React output.
Using getStaticProps with CMS Data. Using
getStaticPropswith CMS DataUse getStaticProps with CMS data without hiding freshness, build‑time, preview and validation risks in Pages Router content workflows.
Reducing Image Brightness with CSS. Reducing Image Brightness with CSS
Reduce image brightness with CSS filters, including brightness(), animation, dark‑mode eye strain, visual treatment, and where filter effects are useful.
Commenting in JSX. Commenting in JSX
Comment in JSX without breaking React parsing, including curly‑brace block comments, why HTML comments fail, and gotchas around rendered output clearly.
getStaticProps vs. getServerSideProps in Next.js. getStaticPropsvs.getServerSidePropsin Next.jsgetStaticPropsvs.getServerSidePropsin Next.js explained with build‑time and request‑time data fetching, trade‑offs, and practical page examples.
Creating a Discernible Name for Icon Links. Creating a Discernible Name for Icon Links
A common issue I come across when auditing sites with Lighthouse is the "Links do not have a discernible name" error where links don't contain text.
Static Generation with CMS Content and Build‑Time Data. Static Generation with CMS Content and Build‑Time Data
How static generation works with CMS content and build‑time data, including routes, previews, rebuilds, freshness, cache limits, and deployment trade‑offs.
Interpolation: Sass Variables Inside calc(). Interpolation: Sass Variables Inside
calc()One of the most common pitfalls for developers new to Sass is string interpolation: why a Sass variable may not behave as expected inside calc().
Building Custom Hooks in React. Building Custom Hooks in React
Building custom hooks in React explained with reusable stateful logic, naming rules, composition examples, and why hooks share logic rather than state.
What is a Static Site Generator? What is a Static Site Generator?
Static site generators explained in plain English, including how they compare with SSR, ISR and modern framework rendering choices.
Deploying Static Front Ends with Netlify and Build Hooks. Deploying Static Front Ends with Netlify and Build Hooks
How Netlify build hooks deploy static front ends from CMS updates, scheduled changes, content edits, preview needs, and simple publishing workflows.