A Tranquil Waypoint

I’m taking a long break from updating Zimo Web. It’s time.

After working on numerous other projects over the past couple of months, I only had fragmented time to commit code to this original project. Frankly, it’s where everything started, and I wouldn’t have reached where I am today without it. However, the flaws of being an inexperienced developer began to become a hindrance, and it’s increasingly clear that a fundamental rewrite is needed. Zimo Web is something I care about, something I take pride in, and I want it to reflect my best abilities. But I grow too, and it’s becoming impossible for Zimo Web to keep up. What once was exciting has become a burden, and I question whether Zimo Web is still my signature work. Ultimately, even now I simply haven’t seen enough, and my development experience remains both hobbyish and naive. It’s a state to persist for a long time. What has changed, though, is the youthful arrogance and the intense desire to present myself through this site. There are more pursuits in life, and Zimo Web is no longer a top priority.

A couple of weeks ago, I considered ending everything once and for all by a monumental update that would serve as my final contribution to Zimo Web. The last time I actively contributed to this project was three months ago, but the landscape of web changes every week. I can’t maintain this pace while juggling a ton of more important tasks, and when I returned, there were countless updates waiting. Next 15, React 19, Tailwind 4... Half a year ago, all of these didn’t exist. It’s like the App Router moment two years ago that revamps the entire codebase. Zimo Web isn’t a massive project, but it is quite large to manage on my own, during my free time. The proposed update soon grew too much in scope. First updating the frameworks, then rewriting the theming system, followed by a rewrite of the blog format. Each of these features used to be major milestones for Zimo Web, but over time they seem trivial. That is until I eventually stopped the train completely. Perhaps I’m not as energetic as before; I’m no longer the enthusiast who could create the entire Theme Maker in less than a month. This update is beyond my current desire. Zimo Web is no longer my sole focus.

The update has been significantly scaled back. I managed to update most frameworks and push minor fixes and optimizations, but it’s nowhere near the initially proposed scale. And, as usual, I added one more theme: Gallery 3D. I planned to label it as 10.0.0, but now it only deserves 9.2.0. Ten is a significant number for a change that is worthy. Still, Gallery 3D is a fun and innovative theme, and I did my best to differentiate it from anything one could create in the Theme Maker.

Zimo Web is amazing. In between busy moments and after stepping back from the intense development, I returned as a user. It’s fascinating to see that there are fifty distinct themes to choose from. No other site has pushed this concept so hard and distinctively, especially with the ability to create your own. Many smaller features like windows and settings sync work great too. I can open a notepad on the side of the screen and have it sync with my other computer. Watching this site grow has been rewarding, and it has served as my main inspiration for other projects, both directly and indirectly. Sometimes I questioned whether this site was merely self-indulgent or truly meaningful. Now that I think about it, there are many things this website has done right. I’m not a developer and perhaps never will be, but my intuition tells me things were going in the right direction.

Perhaps one day a complete rebuild will happen. It in fact did once. A week after the site was initially finished, I began porting it to the App Router after it had gone stable for a while. But that was different. The port was ultimately just a port, and I didn’t get to make decisions beyond following the original design. If I were to do a rewrite this time, everything would change. Layout, content, art direction, and so much more that I could do with themes. It begs the question: should I continue updating this site, or create something entirely new? Zimo Web is just a container for my writing, photos, and other display, and over time it has evolved into more of a technical showcase. I believe these questions will be answered in the future, and for now, the best decision is to let things remain as they are.

That brings us to today. The era of constant updates has reached a tranquil waypoint. It’s been a great ride, and the updates truly reflected my state of life. But now, it’s time to take a break and figure out the next, unprecedented phase.