HTML-First Form Rebuild Doubled Completion Rates After React App Failed in 3 Days

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A regulated utility company struggled with a broken service application form after two costly rebuilds failed, including a React app that was pulled offline within three days due to accessibility issues and a flawed localStorage-based file upload system. A developer rebuilt the form from scratch using Astro, an HTML-first framework that ships zero JavaScript by default, adding JavaScript only as a progressive enhancement. The new form was designed to work on any device, on poor connections, and without JavaScript ever being a prerequisite for completing a task. When the rebuilt form launched, the rate of users successfully completing it doubled. The project illustrates that lightweight, server-rendered HTML can outperform heavy single-page applications for public-facing utility tasks where broad accessibility is essential.

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