Frameworks are smarter. Tooling is richer. APIs are everywhere.
Yet… I keep seeing the same mistakes across projects — from startups to production SaaS apps.
Here are the biggest ones.
1. Shipping Way Too Much JavaScript
This is still the #1 offender.
People spin up React/Vue/Next for a landing page with:
- No interactivity
- Static content
- Basic forms
Then ship 500KB+ of JS.
Why it’s bad
- Slower load times
- Worse SEO
- Poor mobile performance
- Higher bounce rates
Better approach
- Use server-rendered HTML when possible
- Prefer islands architecture
- Reach for frameworks only when needed
- Try Astro, Qwik, or plain HTML first
JavaScript should be earned, not assumed.
2. Ignoring Web Fundamentals
Too many developers jump straight into frameworks without understanding:
- HTML semantics
- CSS layout
- Browser rendering
- Accessibility basics
Result?
Apps that technically work — but feel fragile.
Fix
Spend time mastering:
- Flexbox & Grid
- ARIA roles
- Semantic elements
- Browser DevTools
Frameworks change.
Fundamentals don’t.
3. Overengineering Everything
I regularly see:
- Complex folder structures for tiny apps
- Abstracted hooks wrapping other hooks
- Design patterns copied from Medium posts
- 12 layers of indirection
All before users exist.
Rule of thumb
Start simple.
Refactor when pain appears — not before.
Premature architecture is just technical debt in disguise.
4. No Performance Budget
Performance is treated like an afterthought.
Until Lighthouse turns red.
Common problems
- Unoptimized images
- Massive bundles
- Blocking fonts
- Too many third-party scripts
What pros do
They define budgets:
- JS < 150kb
- LCP < 2.5s
- CLS < 0.1
Then enforce them.
5. Treating Accessibility as Optional
This one hurts.
I still see:
- No labels on inputs
- Buttons made from divs
- Zero keyboard support
- Color contrast violations
Accessibility isn’t “extra polish”.
It’s basic quality.
Start here
- Use semantic HTML
- Test with keyboard
- Run Lighthouse / axe
- Respect prefers-reduced-motion
Small changes make massive differences.
6. Copy-Paste Development
StackOverflow-driven engineering:
- Code pasted blindly
- Dependencies added without review
- Snippets used without understanding
This creates:
- Security risks
- Bugs nobody understands
- Unmaintainable systems
Slow down.
Read the docs.
Understand the code you ship.
7. Chasing Every New Framework
Every month:
- New meta-framework
- New state library
- New build tool
Developers keep switching instead of shipping.
Reality check
Most products succeed because of:
- UX
- Reliability
- Speed
- User value
Not because of the framework.
Stability beats novelty.
Final Thoughts
Modern web development isn’t broken.
But our habits often are.
If you focus on:
- Fundamentals
- Simplicity
- Performance
- Accessibility
You’ll already be ahead of 80% of projects out there.
Thanks for reading.
If this helped, consider sharing — and happy building
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