NostalgiaPHP vs SvelteKit

Two very different tools… with the same nostalgic goal:
👉 Make building websites feel simple again.

🐘 NostalgiaPHP

• No build step. PHP runs directly in Apache or Nginx.
• Markdown for content. Write files, save, done.
• File-based routing. Pages and collections map directly to the file system.
• Zero dependencies. Just PHP. No npm, no package-lock.json, no node_modules.
• Portable. Your project folder is the site. Move it, back it up, deploy it.

🔥 SvelteKit

• File-based routing. Drop files into src/routes, instant pages.
• SSR + client hydration. Modern interactivity with server-rendered performance.
• Build tooling. Vite, npm, adapters for deployment targets.
• Ecosystem. Rich integrations, plugins, and community support.
• Portable(ish). Your source folder is portable, but it requires a build to deploy.

✨ The Similarity

Both exist because developers got tired of complex, overbuilt stacks.

• PHP in 2003: upload a file, refresh, instant site.
• SvelteKit in 2020s: create a route file, save, instant site (with hot reload).

🚀 The Difference

• NostalgiaPHP = caveman simple. Drop Markdown + PHP files, and you’ve shipped a site.
• SvelteKit = modern simple. Rich app framework, but still needs Node, npm, builds, adapters.

TL;DR

If you want a content-heavy site that deploys in a minute:
👉 Make site. Files good. Framework bad. (NostalgiaPHP)

If you want a modern interactive app with transitions, API routes, and full SPA feel:
👉 SvelteKit.

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