When Astro Is the Right Choice (And When It Isn't)
An Astro 6 decision guide (June 2026): the project shapes where Astro wins, where Next.js or Hugo win instead, and a 1-day spike to confirm before you commit.
#Getting started
Articles tagged with #Getting started
Astro Content Collections: A 30-Minute Getting-Started (Astro 6)
A focused, current walkthrough of Astro Content Collections on Astro 6: the glob() loader, content.config.ts, Zod schemas, render(entry), and the workflow that keeps a 1,000-article site maintainable.
Deploy a Static Site to Firebase Hosting: Step-by-Step (2026)
Ship a static site (Astro, Vite, Hugo, plain HTML) to Firebase Hosting in about 10 minutes — free SSL, custom domain, cache headers, and the macOS port-5000 fix. Verified June 2026.
Deploy an Astro Site on Vercel: the 10-Minute Path (2026)
Ship Astro on Vercel with the exact Astro 5 astro.config.mjs, Node 22 pin, vercel.json cache headers, CLI commands, and DNS + SSL verification — no detours.
What Is Firebase Hosting (and Who Should Use It in 2026)
Firebase Hosting is Google's static + edge CDN. Here is when it fits vs the newer App Hosting, the free-tier limits, a baseline firebase.json, and deploy commands.
What is Vercel? Pricing, Limits, and How It Differs from Firebase (2026)
Vercel is a framework-native platform built around Next.js, Astro, and SvelteKit. Get the mental model, real June 2026 pricing and limits, a sample vercel.json, and a 5-minute deploy.
Build an AI Research Workflow That Holds Up to Scrutiny
A repeatable 6-stage AI research workflow with exact 2026 tool limits — Perplexity, NotebookLM and Deep Research (ChatGPT/Gemini/Claude) chained so the output survives a citation check.
ChatGPT Beginner Guide — Sign-Up to First Real Use Case (2026)
Set up ChatGPT in 30 minutes: pick the right plan, make the one settings change that matters, and run three prompt patterns that actually work.
Claude Beginner Guide: Sign-Up to First Real Task in 30 Minutes
Set up Claude the right way: pick a plan, build your first Project, and run a long-document task where Claude actually beats ChatGPT. Verified June 2026.
Gemini Beginner Guide: Sign-In to First Real Workflow (2026)
Start with Gemini free, run a real Gmail + Docs task in 30 minutes, and learn exactly when Google AI Pro ($19.99/mo) is worth it.
Midjourney Beginner Guide (V7 / V8.1, 2026)
Get usable Midjourney images in 30 minutes: the one-sentence prompt formula, the 5 parameters that matter (--ar, --raw, --s, --sref, --oref), Draft Mode, and the iteration loop pros use — updated for V7 and V8.1.
NotebookLM Getting Started: Grounded Multi-Document Research in 20 Minutes
A practical NotebookLM walkthrough for June 2026: real source limits, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Audio and Video Overviews, plus the questions that actually surface insight.
Sora vs Veo: Beginner's Guide to AI Video (June 2026)
Make your first AI video in 15 minutes. How Sora and Veo access actually works in June 2026, the prompt structure that works, clip-length limits, and which model fits realism vs. surreal.
Suno Beginner Guide: From Zero to Your First Song in 15 Minutes
Make your first Suno song in 15 minutes - Simple vs Custom Mode, style and lyrics prompts, structure tags, and 2026 pricing/credits.
AdSense Pre-Application Checklist: 30 Minutes That Prevent Rejection
The exact pre-application checklist that catches the rejection reasons AdSense reviewers actually hit first — trust pages, Privacy Policy cookie disclosure, navigation, account ownership, and payout setup. Verified June 2026.
DNS A vs CNAME — Explained in 5 Minutes
A records point to an IP. CNAMEs point to another name. That one sentence solves most indie DNS confusion. Here is the other 10%, with exact Vercel, Firebase, and Netlify values.
Indie Developer App Store Launch Prep Checklist (2026)
A realistic 2026 pre-launch checklist for solo iOS developers: the legal, technical, and content prep that prevents the embarrassing first-submission rejection, with current screenshot sizes and pricing rules.
New Content Site: A 30-Day Plan That Gets You Indexed
A specific 30-day plan for a brand-new content site: get indexed in Search Console, lock your URL structure, ship 15-20 clustered articles, and skip what doesn't matter yet.
Next.js App Router: The 8 Concepts You Actually Need
Skip the 20-hour course. These eight App Router concepts explain why your Next.js 16 code behaves the way it does — with the async params and caching changes that break old tutorials.
Deploy Next.js to Vercel: The 10-Minute Path (June 2026)
Deploy Next.js on Vercel in 2026: auto-detection, env vars, custom domains, next/image allowlist, function regions, and the App Router gotchas that cost indie devs half a day.
Next.js Image Optimization: The 16 Upgrade Checklist
next/image is the biggest free performance win you get — but Next.js 16 deprecated priority, made qualities required, and dropped the cache default to 4 hours. Here's what to fix.
When Next.js Is the Right Pick (and When It Is Not)
Next.js 16 is the default React framework in 2026 — but reaching for it on a content site costs you speed, Vercel bills, and weekends. Here is the decision, with real limits and numbers.
Submit a New Site to Google — 2026 Four-Step Flow with Real Timelines
The shortest 2026 submission flow: verify a Domain property, submit a sitemap, request indexing on one URL, internal-link from the homepage — plus how long each step actually takes for a brand-new domain.
Submit a Sitemap in Google Search Console (and the 3 Status Lies)
The 2-minute sitemap submission flow, the exact meaning of Success / Has errors / Couldn't fetch, and how to fix each one.
TestFlight in 2026: How to Run a Beta That Catches Real Bugs
A practical 2026 guide to TestFlight for indie iOS developers — exact tester limits, upload steps, Beta App Review timing, and how to run a beta that produces useful feedback before launch.
What a Sitemap Actually Is (and the Fields Google Ignores)
A plain-English explainer for sitemap.xml as of June 2026 — what it does, what it does not do, and the fields most generators stuff in that Google never reads.
What Is Google AdSense (and Is It Worth Applying in 2026)
A June 2026 reality check on AdSense: what it actually pays per 1,000 views, how the approval bar tightened, the 80% revenue split, and which indie sites should apply.
What an SSL Certificate Actually Is (and Why You Don't Need to Buy One)
Free SSL is the 2026 default. Verify your cert, set auto-renew, and skip paid-CA upsells with these Caddy / Nginx / curl / openssl commands.
When an Indie Site Must Actually Buy a Domain
You can launch free on a `*.vercel.app` or `*.web.app` URL. So when does an indie project genuinely need a paid domain? Four hard triggers, plus real 2026 prices.
Title Tags and Meta Descriptions That Earn the Click (2026)
Write `<title>` and `<meta name="description">` that survive Google's rewrite: real pixel limits, the 61% rewrite study, intent matching, and a 6-step audit.