How we build: our stack and standards
We build new WordPress sites with Bricks Builder and Automatic.css, build with Astro and the EmDash CMS on Cloudflare when that fits, and use Shopify where it suits an online shop. Every site is built on a staging server, and performance, security and accessibility are treated as part of the build.
The platform is chosen to fit
We are not tied to one tool. The platform is chosen for what the site has to do, and you get the recommendation with the reasons behind it.
WordPress with Bricks Builder and Automatic.css
WordPress is our usual choice when a site needs bookings, reservations or forms.
We build new WordPress sites with Bricks, a visual site builder for WordPress, and Automatic.css, a CSS framework for WordPress page builders. Automatic.css sets typography and spacing through variables and scales, so text and spacing adjust across screen sizes.
That suits how we design: desktop-down, with each site built to rescale to every screen size.
See Bricks Builder development.
Astro with the EmDash CMS on Cloudflare
We also build with Astro on Cloudflare when that fits the project. Astro is a web framework for content-driven websites. According to Astro's documentation, it renders pages to HTML on the server and sends no JavaScript to the browser by default.
Our own website is built on Astro with the EmDash CMS, on Cloudflare.
See headless and Astro websites.
Shopify where it suits
For an online shop, Shopify is sometimes the better choice. Where it is, we say so.
Connecting to other systems
A website can be connected to almost any system that offers an API or another established way to connect. The tool is chosen per project: Make.com or custom code. See systems integration.
Our standards
Staging
Sites are built and tested on a staging server before they go live.
Performance
Performance is part of the build and is checked before launch. Images are optimised, and the site is tested across devices and browsers. Speed and ease of use on phones matter as much as how a site looks on a large screen.
We do not publish speed scores or promise them. How fast a site is depends on its content, its features and its hosting.
Security
Sites launch with SSL in place. After launch, security is mostly a matter of upkeep: keeping software updated, keeping backups away from the server the site runs on, and watching for problems. That upkeep is what our care plans are for, and what is included depends on the plan. See WordPress security.
No one can guarantee that a site will never be hacked, and we do not.
Accessibility
Good accessibility practice is part of the design, such as considered colour choices and interactive elements that are accessible.
If your site has to meet a specific accessibility or regulatory standard, tell us at the start so it can be scoped into the project. We give guidelines only and make no warranty that a site will be compliant with any law or standard. For that, consult your own legal counsel or regulator.
Search
Search is part of the build. Each page is planned around one topic so that pages do not compete with each other, with clean URLs, a correct heading structure and schema markup.
Tracking
Tracking for enquiries, calls and bookings is set up at launch, so you can see what the site is doing for the business.
Next step
To talk about which platform fits your project, get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
Do you only build in WordPress?
No. WordPress is our usual choice when a site needs bookings, reservations or forms. We also build with Astro on Cloudflare when that fits, and Shopify is sometimes the better choice for an online shop.
What is the Stryx Collective website built with?
Our own website is built on Astro with the EmDash CMS, on Cloudflare.
Do you guarantee a speed score or that a site will be compliant?
No. Performance, security and accessibility are practices we follow in every build, but we do not promise scores, and we make no warranty that a site will be compliant with any law or standard. For compliance, consult your own legal counsel or regulator.
Start a project
Be the business they find first
Tell Ryan what you sell and who buys it. You'll get a straight answer on what's holding your website back and what to fix first. There's no obligation to go ahead.
More enquiries you can trace. You'll see which search, page or ad brought in each call, booking and form.
Higher in search results. On Google, in the map results and in AI answers, for the searches your customers make.
One person to talk to. Ryan answers on WhatsApp and sends a plain-language report on results every month.
