JavaScript Broke the Web (and Called It Progress)

Jono, an experienced SEO consultant, critiques the modern web’s shift toward over-complex JavaScript-driven architectures. He argues that what began as simple, fast HTML/CSS sites has been replaced by bloated, fragile apps that prioritize developer convenience over speed, accessibility, and maintainability.

He traces the problem to the rise of frameworks and app-first mindsets (Angular, React, etc.), combined with server-side JavaScript and CI/CD pipelines. This has made seemingly trivial tasks—like changing a headline—into engineer-only operations, with performance penalties and user frustration.

Alderson calls for a cultural reset: embrace semantic HTML, server-rendered pages, edge caching, and minimal JavaScript. He emphasizes building for performance, usability, and real-world outcomes—not developer novelty. It’s about simplicity, not anti-JS.