Web Design and Engineering — Field notes

Web Design and Engineering · May 6, 2026

Edge vs Node runtime: when each one wins for SaaS (2026)

Edge wins on cold start and global latency; Node wins on libraries, long tasks, and database work. The decision is not binary, and most SaaS run both.

Web Design and Engineering · May 1, 2026

Why we removed Tailwind from production: a CSS-only design system

After years of running Tailwind alongside our own design system, we removed it from production. Here is the architecture that replaced it and what changed.

Web Design and Engineering · Apr 28, 2026

Modern CSS 2026: cascade layers, container queries, :has()

Cascade layers end specificity wars, container queries replace component media queries, and :has() ships in every major browser. What to adopt in 2026.

Web Design and Engineering · Apr 25, 2026

Why we still pick Next.js over Astro for most SaaS in 2026

We have shipped both Next.js and Astro this year. For SaaS specifically, Next.js stays our default. Here is the honest tradeoff in 2026.

Web Design and Engineering · Apr 23, 2026

React Compiler 1.0: when you still need useMemo and useCallback

React Compiler 1.0 (October 2025) auto-memoizes most components. Where useMemo, useCallback, and React.memo still earn their place, and what the compiler skips.

Web Design and Engineering · Apr 20, 2026

Server Components vs Client Components: the decision tree we follow

The five-step decision tree we apply on every Next.js 16 project to decide when a component stays server-side and when it needs "use client".

Web Design and Engineering · Apr 18, 2026

Next.js 16 + React 19: the 3 changes that break old SaaS code

Turbopack is the default bundler, request APIs like params and cookies are now async, and React Compiler 1.0 is stable. What breaks moving a SaaS off Next 15.

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