TL;DR
Designer Louie Mantia argues that the easiest path to launching a website is to write a real blog post in plain HTML, upload it to a server, and then add a manually written RSS feed. He recommends delaying design, CMSs, and CSS until after you’ve published content.
What happened
Louie Mantia published a how-to guide that strips website building down to its essentials: write an actual blog post in raw HTML (even in a basic text editor), save it with a sensible filename, and upload it to your server via FTP. He urges creators to resist early investment in CMSs, domain shopping, or elaborate design work and instead focus on shipping content. After publishing a first post, Mantia recommends hand-writing an RSS (feed.xml) file so readers can subscribe via an RSS reader. His example shows the required channel metadata and an item entry containing title, pubDate, guid, link and a CDATA description with the post’s HTML. He emphasizes using absolute URLs for media in RSS, keeping feed size reasonable, and assigning a unique guid per post to avoid reappearing as unread in readers. Mantia also suggests adding a rel="alternate" link in HTML to point to the feed.
Why it matters
- Shipping a single post removes paralysis and proves the site exists, prioritizing content over tooling.
- Raw HTML forces focus on structure and accessibility, which aligns with how RSS readers render content.
- A manually managed RSS feed gives you direct control over syndication and subscriber access.
- Delaying CMSs, extensive design, or CSS reduces upfront friction and unnecessary busywork.
Key facts
- Author: Louie Mantia; date on post: March 25, 2024.
- First step recommended: write a real blog post in plain HTML using a basic text editor.
- Mantia advises against starting by shopping for a CMS, buying a domain, or designing the site.
- Example minimal HTML includes DOCTYPE, html lang, head meta charset, title, and body with content.
- Upload the HTML file to your server (author refers to using FTP) and name files sensibly (e.g., how-to-make-a-damn-website.html).
- Create an RSS feed by hand (feed.xml) with channel metadata (title, link, description, language, atom:link) and add item entries for posts.
- RSS item elements should include title, pubDate, guid, link, and a description that can contain the post’s HTML (often wrapped in CDATA).
- Use absolute URLs for images and media inside RSS entries so resources load outside your site.
- Keep an eye on feed file size and consider limiting retained entries; updating guid values can cause items to be marked unread.
- Add <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" …> on pages to point to your RSS feed for discoverability.
What to watch next
- Monitor your RSS file size and consider keeping only recent entries to limit download size for subscribers.
- Avoid changing a post’s guid after publishing; changing it makes readers treat the item as new/unread.
- Ensure pubDate is formatted correctly (GMT is suggested in the example) so readers interpret dates consistently.
- Use absolute URLs for media in feed entries to ensure resources load when content is syndicated.
Quick glossary
- HTML: A markup language used to structure content on the web; browsers render HTML into pages.
- RSS (Really Simple Syndication): A simple XML-based format that delivers updates from websites so users can subscribe via feed readers.
- FTP: File Transfer Protocol, a standard network protocol for uploading files from a local computer to a remote server.
- guid: A unique identifier used in RSS items so feed readers can distinguish individual entries.
- pubDate: The publication date field in an RSS item that indicates when the content was published.
Reader FAQ
Do I need a CMS to start a website?
The author recommends not using a CMS as a first step; instead, write and publish a post in plain HTML.
Should I write CSS before publishing?
Mantia advises delaying CSS and styling until after you’ve shipped content to stay focused on writing.
How do I make an RSS feed?
Write a feed.xml with channel metadata and item elements (title, pubDate, guid, link, description) and upload it to your site’s root.
How do I get hosting or a domain?
not confirmed in the source
/ Blog / How to Make a Damn Website March 25, 2024 • Louie Mantia A lot of people want to make a website but don’t know where to start…
Sources
- How to make a damn website (2024)
- Create an RSS feed from any HTML page
- How to code an RSS feed for a self-hosted blog website
- How to write CSS code for an RSS feed that I want add in my HTML page
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