Developer Toolsalpha

Zero-Bundle Components

A small component library that ships zero JavaScript to the client by leaning on React Server Components and modern CSS. I wanted to test the hypothesis that most of what we put into client bundles in 2026 is theatre. The answer is: a lot of it is. Tabs, accordions, dialogs, dropdowns, even sliders can run with no JS at all if you accept some constraints. The constraints are real, but they are smaller than I expected.

React Server ComponentsCSSNext.js TypeScript

What this is

A lab, not a product.

Features

Learnings

Technologies

Capabilities

What it does

The features that actually got built and run in this prototype.

feature_01.ts

Zero client-side JavaScript for the entire component set when used server-rendered

feature_02.ts

CSS-only interactions using the popover API, anchor positioning, and :has() selectors

feature_03.ts

Progressive enhancement so the experience degrades cleanly on older browsers

feature_04.ts

Accessible by default, with focus management handled by the platform instead of a script

feature_05.ts

Server-rendered animations using view transitions where supported

The stack

What it is built with

The libraries and runtimes I picked for this lab and why they earned their place.

React Server Components

CSS

Next.js TypeScript

What I learned

Learnings, in order of how much they surprised me

The things I would tell another engineer before they tried the same experiment.

Many interactive patterns can be CSS-only with modern features. The trick is knowing which

Progressive enhancement requires careful planning, see Next.js vs Remix

Some interactions genuinely need JavaScript for the best UX, especially keyboard-heavy ones

Read the RSC insight for the full rules of thumb

Note: This is an experimental project in the alpha stage. It is a learning exercise and technical exploration rather than a production-ready solution. Patterns and code may change.

Developer Tools

Related labs

Other explorations in this area.

beta

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A drag-and-drop interface for building complex database queries without writing SQL by hand. It introspects Postgres metadata, lets you wire joins visually, and emits clean SQL or Prisma queries on the other side. I built it because every internal tool I have shipped eventually grows a 'just let me filter this differently' request, and at some point a UI is cheaper than another ad-hoc endpoint. It is not a replacement for SQL, it is a way to let non-engineers ask 90% of the questions without involving an engineer.

Want me to build something like this for you?

If this kind of work fits your roadmap, I take on a small number of paid projects each quarter.

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