SamMakesCode https://sammakescode.writeas.com/ Wed, 16 Sep 2026 18:11:12 +0000 Devlog: Why did I bother with SPAs? https://sammakescode.writeas.com/test-post?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[I started with programming in PHP around 2007. It was a shit-show back then (though it’s much better now). As the internet evolved and websites became more complex and responsive we had to start using Javascript. Facebook did it, so we didn’t have a choice. Initially it was just to move elements around, submit forms and spy on our users. But, pretty soon we were separating our apps into front-end and back-end. This added considerable development time, but it was worth it because if you ever wanted an app, it was easier to integrate. That’s not a bad argument. I often did want an app. Now, in order to be competitive in search engines we have to markup our sites with OpenGraph and Schema.org. Which, don’t get me wrong, isn’t a bad thing. Telling search engines what the relevant information on your page is without them having to make educated guess is a good thing. BUT, search engines try not to load the Javascript of a site if they can help it. If your site 100% relies on Javascript on the front-end, search engines are slow to update it and content aggregators such as Twitter and Facebook won’t even run the Javascript. We’ll have to rely on Google’s SEO for now and then go back to server-side rendering with Javascript mini-apps with v2. For fuck sake.]]> I started with programming in PHP around 2007. It was a shit-show back then (though it’s much better now). As the internet evolved and websites became more complex and responsive we had to start using Javascript.

Facebook did it, so we didn’t have a choice. Initially it was just to move elements around, submit forms and spy on our users.

But, pretty soon we were separating our apps into front-end and back-end. This added considerable development time, but it was worth it because if you ever wanted an app, it was easier to integrate. That’s not a bad argument. I often did want an app.

Now, in order to be competitive in search engines we have to markup our sites with OpenGraph and Schema.org. Which, don’t get me wrong, isn’t a bad thing. Telling search engines what the relevant information on your page is without them having to make educated guess is a good thing.

BUT, search engines try not to load the Javascript of a site if they can help it. If your site 100% relies on Javascript on the front-end, search engines are slow to update it and content aggregators such as Twitter and Facebook won’t even run the Javascript.

We’ll have to rely on Google’s SEO for now and then go back to server-side rendering with Javascript mini-apps with v2.

For fuck sake.

]]> https://sammakescode.writeas.com/test-post Wed, 21 Dec 2022 11:13:31 +0000