January 16, 2026
The New SalixEDA Website: How and Why We Built It
During the rebranding process, the SalixEDA program got not only a new name, but also an entirely new website. This was a necessary step, and today I’ll explain why we had to abandon the old solution, what requirements we had for the new website, and what the final result looks like.
Why the Old Website No Longer Worked
The previous website was built on a tiny CMS called GetSimple. Today, that project is no longer supported. But that wasn’t the main problem.
I noticed that when connection issues occurred, the page structure would start to "fall apart" — probably due to external dependencies that the old CMS or its theme used. This is unacceptable for a website that needs to be available at all times.
That’s how the first requirement was born: absolutely no external dependencies.
The second serious problem was the inconvenient way multilingual support was organized. I needed the structure (skeleton) of the site to remain unchanged, while the content (text and images) would change depending on the language. With GetSimple, I had to maintain a separate site for each language, which was terribly inconvenient. Interestingly, it did seem to have a multilingual system, but I couldn’t get it to work. Nevertheless, GetSimple suggested an interesting idea: implement the structure in PHP, and the content in HTML.
That’s how the second requirement took shape: separate content from structure, solving two problems at once — multilingual support and simplified maintenance.
Why Ready-Made Solutions Didn’t Work
I searched for a long time for solutions similar to GetSimple — and found none. I tried alternatives:
- Static site generators ("compilers") — a great idea, but it didn’t work for me. Because compilation is required for every change, the whole site needs to be regenerated. I found that too cumbersome.
- Large CMS (WordPress and the like) — I didn’t even consider them. Their entry barrier is too high, and I didn’t want to spend time on configuration. After all, I’m much more interested in developing SalixEDA than in site administration.
Our Own Solution: PHP + HTML
After reviewing all available options, I came to an unexpected conclusion: it’s much simpler to write exactly what you need in PHP. Yes, it took time, but with vibe coding (and AI assistance) — not as much as it would have taken before. Basic PHP knowledge and some HTML skills also helped.
And so, over a few evenings, the SalixEDA.org website was born with exactly the functionality I needed:
- ✅ No unnecessary bloat
- ✅ Completely free of external dependencies
- ✅ Simple and easy to maintain
- ✅ With multilingual support
Technical Details (For Geeks)
If you’re curious how it works internally — here’s a brief overview:
- Core — index.php. Almost all requests are redirected to it (the exception is direct file downloads, like in the "Downloads" section).
- Common procedures — in index.php. The interface language selection is also implemented there.
- Page structure — in separate PHP files
(
home.php,news.php,features.php, etc.). Each defines the structure of a specific page. - Content — in HTML files that are substituted depending on the selected language.
The variable that determines the language is propagated to every PHP file used when building the page. This makes it possible to select the appropriate HTML file for the corresponding language.
The Source Code Is Open
Like SalixEDA itself, the new website is an open source project. The source code and all its contents are available on GitHub:
https://github.com/SalixEDA/salixeda-website.git
The Result: What This Solution Gave Us
Switching to our own PHP engine provided several important benefits:
- Full control. I decide what works and how. No hidden dependencies or CMS "surprises".
- Ease of maintenance. To add a new page or change the structure, you don’t need to understand someone else’s code.
- Multilingual support out of the box. The mechanism works exactly the way I want, without workarounds.
- Reliability. No external scripts — no problems with loading them.
Now the website is not "yet another task", but a convenient tool that helps promote SalixEDA, rather than distracting from development.