Design Principles

Minimalism

Use only what is strictly necessary. No frameworks, no build tools, no package managers for frontend code. Every line of code must justify its existence.

File-Based Everything

Your folder structure is your URL structure. Drop a file in a folder and it's instantly accessible. No routes to configure, no databases to set up.

Override, Never Modify

Custom templates and styles go in /custom/ and automatically override defaults. The core files in /app/default/ remain untouched and updateable.

Modern Standards

Use modern PHP 8.3+ features and modern CSS capabilities. Avoid JavaScript entirely—it's not needed for content-focused sites.