simplesecurity.gg
HTML, CSS, Netlify, GitLab CI/CD • Public Cybersecurity Education • Status: Active
This project created simplesecurity.gg - a minimalist educational website that teaches essential cybersecurity practices to everyday users. The site focuses on three critical security fundamentals: multi-factor authentication, password managers, and device backups, presented in clear, non-technical language.
The goal was to create an accessible, easy-to-understand resource for essential cybersecurity practices. The focus was on simplicity - both in content and design - making complex security concepts approachable for everyone while ensuring the site itself followed web accessibility best practices.
This project demonstrates the effectiveness of minimalist web design in educational contexts, proving that clear communication doesn't require complex interfaces or overwhelming feature sets.
The project was inspired by a Hacker News discussion about minimalist HTML websites, highlighting examples like Berkshire Hathaway's website and UK government sites that prioritize content clarity over visual complexity.
Content development was prioritized before technical implementation. The site's educational material went through several iterations, incorporating feedback from family and friends to ensure clarity and usefulness for the target audience.
Each topic is presented in plain English with step-by-step guidance that non-technical users can follow confidently.
The development process began with analyzing the HTML structure of inspiring minimalist websites using Chrome and Firefox Developer Tools. This research phase included extensive use of documentation and AI assistance to understand unfamiliar concepts and web accessibility best practices.
The deployment strategy leveraged Netlify's streamlined CI/CD pipeline for static sites, creating an efficient workflow that automatically deploys changes within minutes of pushing code updates.
This automated setup ensures that any content updates are live within minutes, making maintenance and improvements extremely efficient. The combination of GitLab for version control and Netlify for hosting provides a robust, developer-friendly workflow for static educational sites.
The site deliberately embraces minimalist design principles, following the philosophy that effective educational content doesn't need visual complexity to be engaging or trustworthy.
As a cybersecurity education site, security was paramount in both content and technical implementation:
The site successfully launched at simplesecurity.gg and serves as a practical demonstration that effective cybersecurity education can be delivered through simple, accessible web design.
Content-First Development: Prioritizing educational content before technical implementation led to clearer messaging and better user experience.
Modern Static Workflows: The GitLab + Netlify combination provides enterprise-grade CI/CD capabilities for simple static sites, making updates and maintenance effortless.
Minimalism as Accessibility: Stripping away visual complexity improved accessibility scores and user comprehension simultaneously.
Security Through Simplicity: Fewer dependencies and simpler architecture naturally result in a smaller attack surface and easier security maintenance.
Potential improvements include expanding the educational content to cover additional security topics, adding multiple language support for broader accessibility, and creating downloadable guides for offline reference.
The current implementation serves as a solid foundation that can be extended while maintaining the core principles of simplicity, accessibility, and security-first design.