What's the best way to make my personal website?

Core Components of Websites

Every website consists of three fundamental elements:

HTML files contain the text content with markup tags that describe what things are
CSS files control how content displays—fonts, colors, layout, and responsive design
JavaScript files handle interactive elements that change without page reloads

These three elements make up everything you experience in a browser whether it be Facebook or your first Hello World website.

Main Approaches

1. Plain HTML Upload

Write HTML files and upload them to free services like Neocities or Nekoweb. Teaches core skills but requires manual updates and doesn’t scale well.

2. Static Site Generators

Tools like Hugo, Jekyll, and Eleventy convert Markdown files into HTML websites. Content lives in simple files you can version control. Requires learning Git but offers complete portability and customization without vendor lock-in.

3. Commercial Website Builders

Platforms like Webflow and Squarespace offer quick setup with professional templates but charge monthly fees and limit content portability. Caution against vendor lock-in and “enshittification.”

4. Self-Hosted Open Source Blogs

Applications like Ghost and WordPress run on servers you maintain, offering sophisticated features but requiring ongoing updates and backups.

5. “Publish to Web” Options

Tools like Notion and Coda let you build pages then share them publicly—simple but often slow and unprofessional-looking.

Recommendation

For individuals without large budgets who enjoy customization, learning a static site generator offers maximum control and portability.