Every modern side-project seems to follow the same blueprint: Spin up a massive Next.js repo, configure a complex database, hook up authentication, and force users to create an account just to generate a simple file.
I got tired of this bloatware culture. Especially for something as sensitive as a resume.
When you build a CV on standard online builders, your personal details, email, phone number, and work history are stored on a third-party database. Often, you finish typing everything only to hit a paywall right before downloading your PDF.
I wanted to fix both the developer bloat and the user experience. So I built forgcv.com.
The Minimalist Stack
I challenged myself to keep the code footprint as close to zero as possible. No frameworks, no heavy dependencies:
Frontend: Vanilla JavaScript & Tailwind CSS (for fast, lightweight utility styling).
Backend: Absolute zero. There is no database.
Privacy: 100% Client-Side via LocalStorage. Your personal details stay directly inside your own browser. I don't own, track, or look at your data.
Rendering: Clean HTML layout structures designed to be completely lightning-fast and structurally optimized for parsing systems (ATS).
Here is a quick 30-second workflow video showing the engine in action:
[INSÈRE TA VIDÉO ICI OU METS UN LIEN VERS TON POST X / YOUTUBE]
Why Deleting Features Was the Best Feature
The baseline instinct for an app like this is to give infinite customization—color wheels, custom fonts, multi-column dragging layouts.
But looking at recruitment tracking data, too much layout freedom actually causes users to build unreadable resumes that get rejected by automated filters.
By locking down the grid, standardizing the vertical axes, and only offering 6 optimized typography layouts, the tool handles the architectural guardrails. The user just focuses on writing their achievements. It decouples content creation from layout rendering.
Check it out
The tool is completely live, open, and free to use. No ads, no hidden credit card screens.
Live App: forgcv.com
I'd love to hear your thoughts, especially from other developers here: Do you still prefer picking a framework (React/Vue/Next) by default for simple utilities, or do you still see the power in pure Vanilla JS execution? Let's discuss in the comments below!
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