Building a Modern Web Experience: The Technology Behind Digit AI
A comprehensive technical deep dive into building the Digit AI website with Next.js 14, Notion integration, glass morphism animations, and modern web development practices. Exploring architecture decisions, performance optimisations, and enhancements made to the Nobelium (headless Notion CMS) foundation.
A comprehensive technical deep dive into building the Digit AI website with Next.js 14, Notion integration, glass morphism animations, and modern web development practices. Exploring architecture decisions, performance optimisations, and enhancements made to the Nobelium (headless Notion CMS) foundation.
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Post
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Development
Website
With an old business partner I’ve just launched a new AI startup (I know how 2025). This post talks through the process of creating the website for Digit AI (https://0-9.ai↗).
When I set out to build the Digit AI website, I wanted to create something that exemplified our approach to AI and automation—elegant, performant, and built with cutting-edge technology. This case study explores the technical decisions, architecture patterns, and innovative solutions that power our digital presence.
🎯 The Vision: Performance Meets Elegance
My requirements were clear: create a fast, accessible, and visually striking website that could scale with my growing content needs. I needed a platform that could showcase my AI expertise while providing an excellent user experience across all devices.
⚙️ Technology Stack: Choosing the Right Tools
Core Framework: Next.js 14 with App Router
I built the site on Next.js 14.2.0 with the new App Router architecture. This choice gave me:
Performance: Built-in optimisations for images, fonts, and code splitting
Developer Experience: TypeScript 5.2.2 support with excellent tooling
SEO: Server-side rendering and static generation capabilities
Scalability: Modern React 18.3.1 with concurrent features
🔗 The Notion Headless CMS Integration
One of my most innovative features is the complete Notion integration for content management. This system demonstrates my AI automation philosophy—sophisticated backend logic with a simple content creation experience.
Foundation: Building on Nobelium
My Notion integration is built upon the excellent foundation provided by the Nobelium project↗ by Craig Hart. Nobelium pioneered the concept of using Notion as a headless CMS for Next.js applications, providing the initial patterns and API integration approach that inspired my implementation.
However, I've significantly evolved and enhanced the original Nobelium codebase to meet my specific requirements for enterprise-grade performance, reliability, and developer experience.
Key Enhancements Over Nobelium
While Nobelium provided an excellent starting point, I made substantial improvements to create a production-ready enterprise solution:
Advanced Caching Architecture - Multi-tiered caching with intelligent cache invalidation based on content type and update frequency
Build-Safe Fallback Systems - Intelligent fallbacks with static content when Notion is unreachable during builds
Next.js 14 App Router Compatibility - Complete restructure for modern App Router architecture with SSR and ISR
🏁 Conclusion
Building the Digit AI website reinforced my belief that the best technology solutions combine cutting-edge tools with thoughtful implementation. By choosing modern frameworks, implementing robust architecture patterns, and prioritising both performance and user experience, I created a platform that truly represents my technical expertise.
I extend my sincere gratitude to Craig Hart and the Nobelium project for pioneering the Notion-as-CMS approach and providing the foundational patterns that inspired my implementation. Standing on the shoulders of open-source weapons like Nobelium allowed me to focus on innovation rather than basic infrastructure.
