Are We Still a PSD to HTML Company?

Are we still a PSD to HTML company? Way back in 2007 when we started the htmlBurger’s journey, our thing was mainly converting PSD designs into HTML. Nowadays we can definitely say that things have moved on quite a lot. So, let’s see what changed for us since then.

• Adopted the latest technologies in front-end development
• Started using new CMS platforms
• Got on board with the rise of eCommerce
• Became much more agile
• Inherited new communication methods and platforms
• Adapted to remote work
• Began developing our own products

1. Adopted the Latest Technologies in The Front-End Development

We want to stay on top of our game for the things we’re so passionate about, so we always try to keep up-to-date with the very latest technological innovations. 

We now build websites and web apps using the most modern frameworks such as React and Vue JS and had a lot of opportunities to test them out, use them in our projects, and fall in love with them. By the way, we do have a weak spot for Vue JS and loved the framework ever since it launched <3.  We’ve actually been a proud sponsor of Vue from its earliest days.

And it’s not like we’ve forgotten the classic frameworks either. We’ve just modernized even the simplest HTML/CSS conversion projects. Plus we’ve created our very own task runner “Jarvis”, to help us deliver even better final results.

2. Started Using New CMS Platforms

A major part of our development work is still related to WordPress, it’s a popular choice amongst our clients, it’s a great CMS, with an even better community, and we love it. But we always like to explore the unknown, this is why we’ve dedicated resources to investigate some of the new, rising CMS platforms. So we created designated teams who now build websites on Hubspot, Craft CMS, Squarespace and we are always open to learning new platforms that our clients use so we can adapt our working process according to their needs.

If you’ve discovered a new CMS, or heard about something bubbling under, let us know. We are happy to investigate it and give it a try. This is actually exactly what led us to Craft CMS. And we quickly grew from zero to being in love with Craft CMS.

3. The Rise and Rise of eCommerce

With the rise of eCommerce, we initially started with WooCommerce for WordPress. However, we quickly discovered the strong sides of other platforms too and found ourselves some new favorites such as Shopify, BigCommerce, and Squarespace. All eCommerce platforms, but quite different in terms of functionality and the types of projects they are ideal for. 

With this in mind, we have opened our own specialist Shopify department with experts in Shopify development. Shopify is proving hugely popular and for a reason. And whilst Shopify is one of our star eCommerce platforms, we continued to improve our eCommerce solutions on WordPress, BigCommerce, Squarespace, and Craft CMS as equally important parts of the eCommerce ecosystem we have developed.

4. We are Much More Agile

Not all projects can be approached and handled the same way and we know that. Therefore we decided to create a whole new department at htmlBurger, a specialist in-house agile development team designed to work on specific solutions in an innovative way. You get all the benefits of working with a truly flexible in-house tech team while avoiding all the mess of having to build and maintain one.

The in-house team has been responsible for the development of some really great and specific products over the last few years.

And nowadays we implemented this agile culture into even the simplest projects at htmlBurger, as well as incorporated it into our day-to-day activities. So if you are ready to explore new avenues, we’ll be right there exploring them with you.

5. New Communication Methods and Platforms

Our field requires good, efficient, and effective communication both internally and with our clients. Amongst the best ways to do that, we integrated our client area called “Kitchen” deeply into our work process. The Kitchen is a great way of organizing client communication and keeping everything in one place and everybody on the same page. And we are working on rolling out some very cool new features to make the platform even more convenient and easy to use.  

Of course, to further streamline our communication with you, even more, we also started adopting the practice of taking live sessions and video conference meetings. We’ve integrated Slack into our internal and client communications, and are also comfortable using Trello, BugHead, Asana, or almost any other tool of your preference. 

6. Remote Work

Because of the Covid-19 outbreak, we had to put our infrastructure of in-house-made systems and processes to another test. We had to adapt pretty quickly and because of the way our company is structured, we managed to switch from working in a 5-floor office building to going 100% remote in a matter of hours. It was a very stressful experience but, fortunately, there was almost no interruption to our workflow and our clients didn’t even notice the switch.

In a perfect world, we are eager to get back to normal since even we, the tech geeks, long for social interaction and playing table soccer or pool with our colleagues during breaks. (=

7. We Develop our Own Products

During the years we have also developed products for our own usage. Sometimes you just can’t find something that fits the exact purpose you require. To fix this, we started making our own software that is most convenient for our workflow. Interestingly enough, once niche, many of these products have taken on a life of their own as they’ve been released to the public. 

An example would be the WordPress plugin Carbon Fields, created by developers for developers, with love. The tool makes it easy to create custom fields and custom widgets, as well as, you can even define dynamic Gutenberg blocks without touching javascript.

Another contribution to the WordPress community we have is WP Emerge – A modern, MVC-powered WordPress as a CMS workflow that comes in three flavors: framework, plugin, and theme. 

Other examples include  PixelParallel, a cool, free, super handy, and light HTML-vs-Design comparison tool for front-end developers when they need to go pixel-perfect.

Those were the light artillery, though. We might or might not have been working on something bigger, that we’re extremely excited about. Wink.

So, Are We Still a PSD to HTML Company?

Certainly and certainly not!

While we are still known as а trustworthy PSD to HTML company, nowadays we are much more than this. Among our clients and the word they spread about us, we are more of an extension of their team, a reliable coding partner, or web gurus that will advise and help them along their way.

The only constant in our business is the change. We evolve, change, adapt, and reflect – and start all over again. We are never afraid to try new things and that’s actually the sweetest part of our work. When working with thousands of clients all around the world you come across a variety of tools, methodologies, processes, and can see how well they fit into people’s day-to-day work.

So challenge us today.