I introduce my first open-source Laravel package designed to simplify front-end navigation management, Navsmith, explaining the rationale behind its creation. The package dynamically renders navigation HTML/Blade syntax using declarative syntax. The package also aims to enhance DX by automatically adjusting navigation link styles based on the current page, mimicking a SPA-like feel.

I discuss the approach I took in creating this site/blog using Laravel and related tools like Livewire to make the process of blogging easy on a developer like myself who has particular preferences for authoring in markdown without the overhead of a CMS. I also touch on some future ideas and features I would like to add. Some brief code examples are provided along the way.

I briefly introduce my new blog/personal site as a full-stack web developer and discuss the rationale for starting the project. I'll be writing about Laravel, PHP, JavaScript, DevOps, ergonomics, and other topics relevant to developer life. I hope you find it useful!