2025-11-20 –, Stage 2 (second floor)
Frameworks solved real problems – but also created new ones: unreadable markup, massive build chains, and teams that no longer understand how the browser works.
This talk is about undoing that damage. It's a journey back to the basics – not out of nostalgia, but as strategy. We'll explore how browser-native capabilities: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Web APIs, the Web Platform's built-in patterns – can deliver fast, modern, and maintainable experiences without the overhead.
We'll also look at the power of the browser itself: DevTools, live editing, and the ability to inspect and understand your site in seconds. Framework-heavy apps make this nearly impossible. In contrast, framework-free sites bring back real inspectability, rapid debugging, and a “view source” culture that's both empowering and educational.
And here's the reality: we don't control the browser and device our software runs on. It could be slow, old, tiny, touch-only, or painfully underpowered. The less we ask of the client, the more users we reach. It's time to get better on the server and let the client do less.
Fewer dependencies. More control. Better performance. Real understanding.
Let's build like we trust the browser again.
Basic
I've been working with JavaScript since before it was cool – co-founding a JavaScript consultancy in 2008, when it was still dismissed as a toy language. That early bet paid off, placing us at the center of JavaScript's rise. In 2016, I started the JavaScript the Language meetup and launched jskatas.org, both focused on deepening understanding of JavaScript through hands-on learning and the ECMAScript spec.
I later led the Speed Team at a high-traffic platform, where we focused on measuring and improving real-world web performance. My work has consistently returned to the fundamentals: fast, lean, understandable code and a strong connection to how the web really works.
Alongside my professional roles, I've created community-driven events like jscraftcamp.org and jscoderetreat.com, centered around software passionates, clean code, and sustainable development practices.
In everything I do, I aim to reduce complexity, rediscover the power of the platform, and help others do more with less.