Eric Downs

If you're starting a new TypeScript project and not enabling strict mode from day one, you're building on sand. The types you skip checking today become the bugs you spend hours debugging tomorrow. Turn it on. Leave it on.

How I built an automated content pipeline that takes markdown and images and publishes structured content in under 3 minutes.

Your portfolio isn't a brochure — it's a living product. Treat content like code and publishing gets easier, not harder.

If you're using ACF's URL field type, switch to a Text field. The URL type blocks saving when the field contains a placeholder or partial URL — which is exactly what content editors enter first. I've seen this break client workflows on at least five projects. Text field with a description note about expected format. Every time.

Stop adding text-size classes to your semantic HTML elements. Your h1 doesn't need text-4xl if your CSS already handles h1 sizing. Double-styling creates specificity nightmares and makes your markup harder to read. Let your base styles do their job.

Everyone knows design systems are "good." But most teams skip them because the upfront cost feels steep. Here's what it actually costs when you don't build one.

Plainview Health

Building a component library that serves 40+ healthcare providers across web, mobile, and internal tools — with WCAG AAA compliance baked in.

Signal & Grain Distillery

A full-stack rebuild that brought a craft distillery from 2018 aesthetics into a modern, image-rich experience — complete with an e-commerce integration and tasting room reservation system.

Midwest Heritage Bank

A ground-up rethink of how a 90-year-old bank serves customers online — balancing trust, accessibility, and modern design.