Hey, congrats!
Thanks!
DigitalOcean? Aren’t they like a… web host?
They are! A very good one. You can build anything on DigitalOcean infrastructure (probably best to think of them as a cloud computing platform that has tools ranging from servers to managed Kubernetes). One thing I think is particularly cool is their new App Platform which to me feels extra aligned with front-end developers like me. We’ve covered that before. Also, their whole concept of Droplets (super simple servers that are quick to spin up) has been transformative in the industry. But more importantly about this acquisition… have you seen their DigitalOcean Community site? It’s loaded with top-notch developer education. DigitalOcean has been super committed to that for a long time, and to me makes this a very natural and well-suited move.
What happens to CSS-Tricks?
The site and content is staying right here. DigitalOcean is committed to continuing to produce high-quality content on front-end development and tending to the trove of content that exists here already.
Will you still be running CSS-Tricks?
I will be working with the DigitalOcean team as an advisor as we transition CSS-Tricks to DigitalOcean’s management, and will then step back to focus on my other projects.
Why now?
When I started CSS-Tricks in 2007, I couldn’t have imagined how much it would grow. I wanted it to grow, that was the plan, but now it’s a far bigger job than any one person can do. That, I was never ready for.
Let me take a quick moment to give some thanks here. I had the incredible help of Geoff as lead editor, sponsor wrangler, and site manager. Robin turned the newsletter into the must-read industry rag it is now. It’s a family business as well! My wife Miranda helped with the books, working with authors, and her guidance on running the site as a proper publication has led the site where it is. I literally couldn’t have done it without any one of them. And of course, the incredible group of authors, with a special shout out to Sarah, a long-time staff writer and friend.
A small but mighty team, indeed. And that’s the thing. CSS-Tricks deserves more human muscle behind it than I’ve been able to provide for it. That’s where DigitalOcean comes in. That’s the “why now.” They have the resources to put behind CSS-Tricks, and the motivation to do so. I fully trust them to do it, as they’ve been successfully doing it themselves for a long time.