My Experience Building a Fast and User-Friendly Website with Hugo and Netlify CMS

March 2, 2024

Building the CUERT Website with Hugo and Netlify CMS

As web development team leader for the Cairo University Eco-Racing Team (CUERT), I wanted to create a website that reflects our innovative spirit and showcases our dedication to sustainable transportation. I chose Hugo and Netlify CMS as the foundation for the project. Here’s why:

  • Speed and Performance: Hugo is renowned for its blazingly fast performance, making it ideal for building websites that deliver a great user experience.
  • Developer-Friendly: As a developer myself, I appreciate Hugo’s simplicity and flexibility. It gave me full control to customize the site’s structure, design, and functionality to our specific needs.
  • Content Management Made Easy: Netlify CMS offers a streamlined way to manage and update website content without needing in-depth coding knowledge. This was important for us since non-technical team members also need to contribute to the website.

Project Walkthrough

Here’s a quick overview of the steps involved in building the CUERT website:

  1. Designing the Structure: I sketched out the desired website structure and information flow, keeping in mind user experience and the team’s goals.

  2. Setting up Hugo: Installing Hugo and selecting an appropriate theme to kick-start development was a breeze.

  3. Content and Customization: I customized the theme, designed layouts for different sections of the site (About Us, Projects, News, etc.), and ensured everything reflected the CUERT brand.

  4. Integrating Netlify CMS: Connecting Netlify CMS to the site empowered my teammates to easily add or update blog posts, project updates, and more.

The Result

The resulting website is a testament to the capabilities of Hugo and Netlify CMS. It’s a platform we’re proud of, and it showcases CUERT’s achievements and commitment to innovation.

Lessons Learned

Building this website was a fantastic learning experience. If you’re looking for a powerful and flexible website development solution, I recommend exploring Hugo and Netlify CMS.

Project link: https://github.com/cuert-web/cuert-website