Company
Date Published
Author
Linda Watkins
Word count
894
Language
English
Hacker News points
None

Summary

IBM, one of the world's largest companies, faced challenges in managing their extensive Carbon Design System website, which included hundreds of pages and contributions from numerous developers and non-technical content creators. Initially, the site had a poor Lighthouse performance score of 7 out of 100, largely due to its complex, home-grown static framework. To address these issues, IBM adopted Gatsby, an open-source framework, which facilitated a site rebuild that was easier to update and maintain, regardless of the user's technical expertise. Frontend Developer Alison Joseph led the project, highlighting Gatsby’s effective documentation and straightforward onboarding process, which streamlined content management and ensured continuity. The revamped site launched in October 2018, achieving a significant performance improvement with a Lighthouse score increase to 96. The transition to Gatsby not only enhanced the site's speed and accessibility but also established a sustainable system that grows with its users, demonstrating IBM's commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to optimize its digital presence.