February 2022 Summaries

A free pitch deck template, designed specifically for freelance developers and agencies, draws on insights from expert interviews with Prismic's agency users to help users effectively pitch projects. The template includes tips and resources within the speaker notes to aid in successful client acquisition, while maintaining a minimal design that allows for quick branding customization. The pitch deck is particularly suited for pitching Jamstack projects, and users are encouraged to share their success stories on social media. Additionally, the text mentions resources for developers, such as a guide on adding a CMS to Next.js, and highlights several case studies from the Prismic community that demonstrate successful website projects, including Arcadia's brand storytelling, Evri's reduced shipping times, Pallyy's growth in daily visitors, and a digital transformation for ski vacation planning.

Next.js 12.1 introduced "on-demand Incremental Static Regeneration" (ISR), a feature designed to enhance site development with content management systems like Prismic by allowing more rapid iteration on site content. This functionality enables developers to identify and rebuild only those pages whose content has changed, maintaining the rest of the pages in cache for efficiency. It is particularly beneficial for sites using Static Site Generation (SSG) with getStaticProps(), ensuring that visitors see the most up-to-date content without lengthy rebuild times. The feature is supported on platforms that utilize the Next.js Build API, such as Vercel. Implementing on-demand ISR involves setting up an API endpoint in the application and configuring a webhook in the content management system. This integration allows for automatic page updates whenever content changes are published, enhancing both development speed and content delivery freshness.

Accessibility in front-end development is crucial for creating inclusive web experiences, ensuring that sites are usable for the widest possible audience, including those with disabilities. This concept is often misunderstood as a tedious task, but it can transform how developers design websites to prevent discrimination. The text discusses how accessibility differs from usability and inclusivity, emphasizing the need to address visual, audial, manual, and cognitive disabilities in web design. Freelancers and developers are encouraged to incorporate accessibility in their projects, even if it involves "invisible work" that clients might not notice, like proper HTML structure or alternative text for images. Additionally, the text highlights the importance of educating clients about accessibility, particularly when design changes are needed to meet accessibility standards. It stresses that while accessibility primarily benefits users with disabilities, it also enhances overall user experience, improves SEO, and ensures compliance with legal obligations. The article is part of a series exploring how to implement accessibility best practices in Next.js projects and how developers can advocate for these practices in their work.

Prismic introduces Slice Simulator as an alternative to Storybook for developing Slices in isolation within the Slice Machine, a tool that allows editors to build website pages using components in frameworks like React, Vue.js, and Svelte. The Slice Simulator offers a simpler setup and maintenance process by plugging directly into the framework’s bundler, unlike Storybook, which requires additional configuration. This change comes after recognizing the steep learning curve and maintenance challenges associated with Storybook, particularly for new users. While Storybook will still be supported, Slice Simulator provides a lighter, more integrated experience, allowing developers to choose between the two based on their comfort and project needs. This shift aims to streamline Slice Machine's user experience and reduce support issues related to Storybook, as Prismic continues to enhance its product stability and user-friendly features.