Building Websites in 2026

Building Websites in 2026: From $2000 Custom Jobs to AI-Generated Apps in Minutes

Remember the early 2000s? Building a website for a company or organization would cost around $2,000 and require weeks of coding with HTML, JavaScript, and PHP/MySQL. Fast forward to today, and the landscape has completely transformed. Thanks to automation and AI, anyone can build a functional website within minutes.

The Evolution of Web Development

The core challenge of building websites hasn't changed—it's still about control, flexibility, and maintenance. What has changed dramatically are the tools and approaches available to us. Let me break down your options:

1. Code It Yourself

For developers who want maximum control, powerful frameworks like Bootstrap combined with HTML5 and JavaScript remain excellent choices. This approach gives you complete flexibility but requires coding knowledge.

2. Use a CMS Platform

If you don't want to write code, Content Management Systems (CMS) are your friend. Popular options include:

• WordPress - The most widely used CMS
• Drupal - Great for complex sites
• Joomla - A solid middle-ground option
• Wix - The ultimate beginner-friendly platform

3. Let AI Build It For You

This is where things get really interesting. AI-powered tools like Google's AI Studio can now generate complete websites based on simple prompts.

My Experiment with Google AI Studio

I decided to put AI website generation to the test. Here's what happened when I asked AI to revamp my existing site at https://www.yanaihome.com/.

The Prompt

"I have an old website at https://www.yanaihome.com/. Can you revamp it with a mobile-friendly version?"

The Results

Within minutes, AI Studio generated a fully functional site. But it didn't stop there. I kept requesting additional features:

• Blog section with admin login
• Google AdSense integration
• Various improvements during testing

The AI updated the code accordingly with each prompt. The default technology stack it chose was React, which is a modern and powerful choice.

Getting It Running Locally

Once I was satisfied with the initial build, I downloaded the project as a zip file. To run it locally, I needed to set up the development environment:

Prerequisites

• Node.js (version 18 or higher recommended)
• NPM (Node Package Manager)
• Vite (comes with the project—this is the build tool that makes everything lightning fast)

You can verify your setup by checking your NPM version:

npm -v

Download the latest version at https://nodejs.org/en/download if needed.

Running the Project

npm install        # Install dependencies
npm run build      # Create production build
npm run dev        # Run development server

Since I use VS Code for development, I asked the AI to generate the appropriate .vscode configuration files. Now I can simply hit F5 to run and preview changes instantly.

Deployment: The Old Way vs. The Modern Way

The Old Way (What I'm Currently Doing)

I'm using HostPapa, a traditional hosting service with cPanel and FTP access. This means:

1. Build the project locally (npm run build)
2. Upload the contents of the dist folder via FTP
3. Repeat every time I make changes

It works, but it's tedious and outdated.

The Modern Way (CI/CD)

Modern frontend engineers use Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) platforms like:

• Vercel
• Netlify
• Cloudflare Pages

Here's the streamlined workflow:

1. Make changes in VS Code
2. Commit and push code to GitHub
3. The hosting platform automatically detects the push, runs npm run build on their servers, and updates your website in seconds

No manual uploads. No FTP. Just pure automation.

My Next Steps

Check out the live site at https://www.yanaihome.com/ to see the AI-generated result!

Here's what I'm planning next:

1. Stop manual uploads - Create a free account on Vercel.com
2. Connect GitHub - Put this code in a GitHub repository
3. Deploy automatically - Link the repo to Vercel so that whenever I save and push code in VS Code, my site updates automatically
4. Optimize and iterate - Continue refining the site with AI assistance

Understanding Vite

You might be wondering, "What's Vite?" Think of it as the super-fast engine behind your modern website—a translator and organizer that makes development incredibly efficient. It's one of the reasons why modern web development feels so much faster than it did in the early 2000s.

The Bottom Line

We've come a long way from spending weeks and thousands of dollars on basic websites. AI-powered tools have democratized web development, making it accessible to everyone regardless of technical skill. Whether you choose to code from scratch, use a CMS, or leverage AI generation, the barriers to getting online have never been lower.

The future of web development isn't just about writing code—it's about knowing how to direct AI tools, understanding deployment workflows, and choosing the right approach for your needs. Welcome to 2025, where your biggest challenge isn't building a website—it's deciding which of the many excellent options to use.