- minimal functionality
- rarely if ever changes
- is maintained by a very small group (Hacker News)
...then something like the example linked is perfect. Most web app developers don't live in this world. The more common situation is:
- large and/or transient teams
- large quantity of inter-dependent features
- constant changes
...which means that the thing you need to optimize for isn't pretty/fast code. It's clarity and resiliency in the code. Can a junior and senior dev both work on the same code base? Can someone new to the project be effective with minimal ramp up time? Can you work on a feature without accidentally stepping on another persons current task?
Modern web apps are less about being performant and minimal, and more about dealing with the complexities of large software teams
Modern web apps are less about being performant and minimal, and more about dealing with the complexities of large software teams