Every developer has a personal site. Most look the same — a hero section, a grid of cards, a contact form. I wanted something different.
The Problem with Modern Web Design
The web has become mouse-first. Everything is designed for scrolling, clicking, hovering. But as someone who spends most of their day in a terminal, this feels inefficient. I navigate my editor with keyboard shortcuts. I manage files from the command line. Why should my website be any different?
Terminal as Interface
When I started building honjoh.dev, I asked myself: what if a website felt like a terminal?
Not a gimmick — not a fake command prompt where you type help and get a list of ASCII art. I mean the actual interaction patterns:
- Arrow keys for navigation — move between items like you would in a TUI
- Breadcrumb paths — know where you are, like a file system
- Minimal chrome — no hamburger menus, no floating buttons
- Keyboard shortcuts — number keys for direct jump, vim-style j/k
The Scanline Effect
The subtle scanline overlay and vignette are not just aesthetic choices. They serve a purpose: they create depth and focus. The slight darkening at the edges draws your eye to the center content. The scanlines add texture without distraction.
What’s Next
I’m exploring how far this concept can go. Can a blog feel like reading a man page? Can a portfolio feel like browsing a file tree? The answer, I think, is yes — if you respect the user’s time and attention.
Technology should adapt to humans, not the other way around.