The Purpose
After 40 years of building software for others, I’m building for myself. Vibe Engineering is the documentation of that journey.
This site serves multiple purposes:
- Accountability — Public build logs keep me honest
- Learning — Writing forces clarity of thought
- Community — Connecting with others on similar journeys
- Marketing — Every article is a potential customer touchpoint
Why Jekyll?
I evaluated several options:
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Notion | Easy editing | Limited customization |
| Ghost | Beautiful | $31/mo minimum |
| WordPress | Flexible | Overkill for static content |
| Next.js | Modern | Deployment complexity |
| Jekyll | Free hosting, full control | Learning curve |
Jekyll + GitHub Pages won because:
- $0/month hosting
- Full control over design
- Markdown for content
- Git-based workflow I already know
The Stack
The site is intentionally simple:
- Jekyll generates static HTML
- Tailwind CSS (via CDN) for styling
- PostHog for privacy-respecting analytics
- Kit.com for email signups
- GitHub Pages for hosting and CI/CD
Total monthly cost: $0 (unless you count the domain)
Content Strategy
Four main content types:
- Build Logs — Daily/weekly progress updates
- Articles — Long-form technical writing
- Tech Radar — Tool and technology evaluations
- Metrics — Open dashboard of all numbers
The goal is radical transparency. Everything—revenue, costs, failures—is public.
What I’ve Learned
Building in public is uncomfortable. Showing unfinished work, admitting struggles, sharing real numbers—it all feels vulnerable.
But it works. My first JoyCork customer came from an HN comment. Subscribers join because they trust the process.
Transparency compounds.