HTMX in an internal admin: less JS than expected

We needed an internal admin for a small service. The previous one was a React SPA that nobody wanted to maintain.

This time we tried server-rendered HTML with HTMX. The result: about 40 lines of JavaScript in the whole app.

What worked well:

• Forms and tables are just HTML
• Partial updates via hx-get / hx-post
• No build step for the admin

What I missed:

• Client-side validation is clunkier
• Complex interactions (drag-and-drop) still need JS

For an internal tool used by five people, it's the right trade. I'd still reach for a SPA for a consumer product.

I'm learning HTMX properly now, and it's refreshing how much of the web you can get back.