Reference
The Craft
Technical principles and standards. How we build things that last.
Core Principles
Self-Hosted First
Your installation runs on infrastructure you control. No third-party dependencies that can disappear, change terms, or increase prices.
Open Standards
Built on technologies with open specifications. No proprietary lock-in, no vendor-specific APIs that trap your data.
Security by Design
Security isn't an afterthought. Authentication, authorization, and data protection are built into the architecture from day one.
Performance Matters
Fast interfaces respect your users' time. We optimize for perceived performance and actual responsiveness.
Preferred Technologies
We choose tools based on reliability, maintainability, and longevity—not hype cycles.
Frontend
Astro for content-focused sites. React for interactive applications. Tailwind CSS for maintainable styling.
Static generation where possible, hydration only where needed.
Backend
Python with FastAPI for APIs. PostgreSQL for relational data. SQLite for simpler needs.
Type-safe, well-documented, and easy to maintain.
Infrastructure
Docker for containerization. Caddy for reverse proxy and TLS. Linux servers you control.
Reproducible deployments, easy to migrate, no vendor lock-in.
Proof in Practice
These principles aren't theoretical. Here's what they look like in production.
Open by Default
We build on open-source foundations whenever possible—not because it's trendy, but because transparency is a feature. When you can read the code, you own the code.
Proprietary has its place. Some problems need custom solutions. But we don't reach for closed-source out of habit. We choose it deliberately, when it genuinely serves the work.
The goal: systems you can understand, modify, and maintain without us.
What We Don't Do
- × Subscription-based SaaS products (we build things you own)
- × Vendor-locked solutions (no proprietary platforms)
- × Black-box "AI magic" (transparent, explainable systems only)
- × Projects that compromise user dignity (see dignity.ink)
