Practical insights on development, design, and scaling products.
We've had a lot of calls recently that all boil down to the same question: how many hours is that? Here's why we threw out hourly and fixed-bid pricing, and what we do instead.
Dominic Magnifico
Anyone who quotes you an MVP cost without understanding your product is guessing. Here are real numbers, real ranges, and the hidden costs that blow up startup budgets.
Dominic Magnifico
That agency promising faster, cheaper development with AI? They might not be telling you the whole story. Here's what business leaders need to know before choosing their next development partner.
Dominic Magnifico
AI tools are everywhere, and it's tempting to let them do all the heavy lifting. But relying entirely on AI to write your code will tank your career faster than you think. Here's how to leverage AI to become a better developer instead of becoming obsolete – and why avoiding AI entirely is just as dangerous as over-relying on it.
Dominic Magnifico
That “quick launch” site you spun up last year? It’s starting to crack. In this post, we walk through the most common mistakes businesses make when building websites fast—and how House of Giants helps clean them up (without judgment).
Dominic Magnifico
Some web agencies are Shopify-only. Or WordPress-only. Or obsessed with that one JS framework they use on *every single project.* House of Giants isn't like that. We don't believe in the one size fits all approach, because the brands we partner with? They're not one size fits all either.
Dominic Magnifico
Most restaurant websites are slow, clunky, and built on platforms that weren’t made for your service model. Learn how a custom QSR website can reduce friction, boost conversions, and grow with your brand.
Dominic Magnifico
Most homepages aren’t broken—they’re just trying to do too much. Confusing UX, sluggish performance, and design that speaks to stakeholders instead of users? That’s friction. And friction kills conversions. Whether you’re a fast-growing QSR brand or a startup looking to scale, your homepage should be built to guide, not guess.
Dominic Magnifico
Think you’re saving money with HubSpot, Squarespace, or Toast? Think again. Those “easy” site builders come loaded with hidden fees, bloated features, and limitations that’ll cost you way more than a custom site ever would. We’re breaking down the real math behind page builders—and showing why owning your site (instead of renting it) is the smarter, scalable move.
Dominic Magnifico
Carousels might look flashy, but the data says otherwise—low engagement, slow load times, and a hit to your SEO. If your most important message is buried in slide three, it might as well not exist. Instead of forcing users to wait for a rotating banner, give them what they need now with clear, structured content and high-impact hero sections. Let’s build digital experiences that convert, not just spin.
Dominic Magnifico
We’re pretty immersed in the world of web development. Because of that, sometimes we slip words like [“Gutenberg”](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/wordpress-editor/) into casual conversation, without explanation. Let’s clear the air. Gutenberg uses a **block-based structure** that’s more like stacking LEGO bricks: each block (text, images, videos, etc.) can be moved, edited, or replaced in a snap. At House of Giants, we’re fans of anything that improves **user-friendly design**, streamlines **performance optimization**, and opens the door to **scalable architecture**—and Gutenberg checks all three boxes.
Dominic Magnifico
We’ve been working on a few projects with fairly complex navigation systems here at House of Giants. Different user types need to see different parts of an application and are separate in what they can see based on the role that they’re assigned. As these applications grow these navigation systems can become unwieldy. We’ve developed a system that we think works pretty well.
Dominic Magnifico
Hitting the ground running as a startup is tough. With a million things to do and no time to do them, it’s crucial to prioritize User Experience (UX) design from the get-go. Great UX design isnt an afterthought; its a necessity for any startup aiming to stand out and thrive.
Dominic Magnifico
Building a business is hard as hell. It is even harder when you refuse to assimilate to the traditional bullshit that your industry has succumb to. This is how I am trying to build House of Giants without selling my soul
Dominic Magnifico
SEO was always one of those things that made me cringe every time I heard the phrase. I always envisioned cramming keywords into content just for the sake of their existence on the page. Endlessly looping phrases like “Denver web development” or “WordPress Development Denver web dev” are unnatural and meaningless. This practice inevitably left site visitors with information that didn’t convey anything useful.
Dominic Magnifico
Dive into the debate between traditional WordPress and the sleek realm of Headless CMS. We discuss the realities of plugin overload, the quest for the perfect theme, and the allure of unparalleled speed and flexibility. Whether you are team WordPress or curious about going headless, this guide is your roadmap to making an informed decision for your next web project.
Dominic Magnifico
In the ever-evolving landscape of tech, where the next big thing is always around the corner, its easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of hard skills and technical prowess. But what about the qualities that dont show up in a GitHub repo or a portfolio website?
Dominic Magnifico
Which syntax highlighting plugin reigns supreme for NextJS & Markdown? Is it PrismJS with its customizable might, or does Highlight.js steal the throne with ease of use? Perhaps, the dark horse, CSS-in-JS, offers more than meets the eye? 🤔💡
Dominic Magnifico
If you haven’t heard already, Apple made some interesting moves in response to some upcoming legislation in the EU. Specifically, the latest iOS beta introduced some changes that prevented existing PWAs (progressive web applications) from leveraging features like the [Push API], which allows developers to send native-like push notifications to devices from their website or web application. You can read more about Apple’s initial decision, and their more recent retraction of that decision.
Dominic Magnifico
Explore the labyrinth of technology choices facing today’s web visionaries and creators. This guide illuminates the path to strategic decision-making in web development, blending technical mastery with a little ✨ magic ✨ to empower visionaries and builders alike. Unravel the secrets to making informed, impactful tech selections that shape the digital future.
Dominic Magnifico
It’s no secret that when people hear “WordPress” these days they kind of cringe. WordPress has been around for so long, and has gone through so many iterations and updates, that some aspects of its checkered past stick around in peoples minds. Usually this includes thoughts of infinite outdated plugins, a carnal fear of updating anything, and a site that chugs under the weight of a theme that was built in 2005, or purchased from Theme Forest. While these fears are warranted, there are at least dozens of us that strive to create WordPress sites that are sleek, scalable, and performant. Let me show you how.
Dominic Magnifico
Code reviews are a staple of working in a team. Whether it be an engineering manager, leadership, or a peer evaluating a new feature, conducting code reviews is an essential cornerstone of collaborative development. It's a great opportunity for to gain insight into the progress of a feature, or to help identify areas for constructive improvement. Let's explore what it means to conduct a helpful code review 🔥.
Dominic Magnifico