On: code

I recently decided to try Ghost, a relatively new, open-source blogging platform (you're viewing the outcome right now). The selling point was two-fold. For one, Ghost is coded in Javascript, namely Node.js. With my recent Javascript immersion it's a natural fit. Secondly, I want to focus on writing... not themes, widgets, plug-ins, etc. Ghost has an amazing, uncluttered UI, making it as easy as possible to write. Out-of-the-Box Speed One advantage of being built on Node.js is speed. The entire Ghost application, from the front-facing website to the Ghost admin runs exceptionally quick and smooth. But being obsessed with website performance like I am I decided to take a deeper look. I ran several Ghost theme demo sites (like Urban, Meca and Wharton) through

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On: code

Animated elements are extremely useful in modern user interfaces and utilized by nearly every web and mobile app these days. Typically an animation would be triggered by hovering-over or clicking an element. With Angular, the options for animating elements become endless, and its probably easier than you think to get started. In this guide I explore CSS-based transitions in AngularJS. Animations vs Transitions Standard animations and transitions are created using CSS's animation and transition properties. The two methods are similar in that they both alter CSS properties over a specified amount of time. For example, changing the background-color of an element. Beyond that the two methods are very different for a variety of reasons: how the animation is triggered the complexity of animation possible options for

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On: code

Last week I wrote about some of the many great tech start-ups (and businesses) I recommend to friends looking for work in Bozeman. Included in the mix were a few options for remote work, like Remotive.io, StackOverflow Careers and several other job boards dedicated to remote positions. Working remotely is a great experience for those who can do it. Programmers, designers, digital marketers, recruiters and many others can do their job from nearly anywhere with an internet connection. Remote work is an especially great option here in Montana where it can mean earning a higher wage than working for local companies. The Challenge Working remotely is no longer the biggest challenge when it comes to working remotely. It's easier than ever to communicate with a

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On: code

A few months ago I set out to build a 'perfect' site in the eyes of Google's PageSpeed tool. The results were better than expected, with the site scoring a near perfect score on several website speed tests. The site, SidecarMT.com is a simple example with only 2 pages and no content management system (CMS). The simple setup made it easy to optimize. How to improve on perfect For many sites a CMS is a requirement - allowing the client to update the site, add fresh content and keep the site up-to-date. Nearly every site I've built in recent years is powered by a CMS, usually Craft, WordPress, ExpressionEngine or Statamic. Each great for their own reasons. The first three of those are traditional CMSs

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On: code

Fast and optimized pages lead to higher visitor engagement, retention, and conversions. With countless studies showing the benefits of a fast site, speed has become a core metric when analyzing a site or app. A study from KISSmetrics discovered a mere 1-second delay increases page abandonment significantly and can cause a 7% reduction in conversions. For large e-commerce sites this can add up to millions of dollars in lost revenue. With such a huge focus on speed a variety of tools have popped up to help analyze and optimize web sites and apps. Google PageSpeed is one of the most popular and provides a detailed report of how to optimize any site. The tool is available as a Google Chrome extension or online. You can test

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