so you just made a neocities... now what?

hi!! if you're reading this you probably just signed up for neocities and you're staring at that default index.html like... ok. now what?? don't worry, i've been there. here's the little roadmap i wish someone handed me when i started :)

1. learn the basics

you do NOT need to be a coding genius for this, i promise. there's really only two things to learn: html is the structure (think the bones of your page) and css is the style (the skin or clothes). that's it. that's literally the whole thing.

spend an afternoon poking at w3schools or the mdn docs and you'll pick it up faster than you think. i've got a whole pile of beginner-friendly learning links on my links page if you don't know where to start.

2. get yourself a real editor

the editor built into neocities is totally fine for tiny edits, but the second you're doing anything bigger it gets painful. download an actual code editor. there’s notepad++ if you want simple, vs code if you want something more advanced, and a bunch of other code editors you can test out to see which one is right for you. you can create everything on your computer and easily drag it into neocities when done!

3. dress it up

this is the fun part. please do not leave the default layout forever brah. you don't even have to build everything from scratch !! find a premade layout and experiment with it til it feels like you. dont go overboard and claim it fully as your own though, always give credit.

4. give it some personality

this is the stuff that makes the web feel alive. think of your site like your bedroom, try to fill it with the things you love! some ideas:

- a guestbook so people can leave you notes (sign mine while you're here!)
- a lastfm now playing widget
- a mood tracker
- a status
- a little shrine/fanpage for something you're obsessed with

5. join the community

neocities is NOT just a bunch of websites floating in a void! the best part is the people. once your site's on its feet:

- make an 88x31 button and trade buttons with your mutuals
- join a webring around something you like
- poke through other people's sites for inspo
- join in on other peoples chatboxes or guestbooks
- comment on people’s neocities profiles

6. most importantly, have fun & don't compare

your first site is going to look a little messy. mine did!! that's really the whole point. this is a personal project, not a portfolio you're being graded on. there's no deadline and no wrong way to do it. tinker, break stuff, undo it, try again.

now go make something!! i can't wait to see it ♡