Can we use Etch to build sites?

User Standpoint

All users are encouraged to use Etch to build no-consequence or low-consequence things, whether that's a landing page or something as simple as a hero section or card. This familiarizes you with Etch's progress, presents opportunities to provide feedback, and helps you get comfortable in the interface.

Many users are using Etch to re-build their personal/agency/portfolio sites. And since V1 is the start of backwards compatibility, they're electing to fix anything that might break up to that point. They're okay with this tradeoff because they're excited about Etch and pushing the envelope.

A few users have used Etch to build actual client sites. It's our understanding that they made it clear to the client that Etch is bleeding edge and that they'll fix anything that breaks, thus there's little risk to the client.

Digital Gravy is currently rebuilding most of our sites in Etch.

Technical Standpoint

Etch is built properly with scalability and maintainability in mind. We're not rushing it with shaky code, nor are we building features with the idea of heavily refactoring them later. We're doing our best to think through how these things fit into the bigger picture and what might break them.

Etch is built with proper testing protocols. Every build runs a series of tests that check existing features. This minimizes the potential for random breakages.

If we have to refactor something, it's because of unforeseen circumstances. So far, across 7 months, the only casualty has been some broken images that were pretty easy to fix. Hopefully that trend continues.

Not having to account for backward compatibility DOES help us move faster and be more agile. However, if something MAJOR breaks, we are incentivized to build a compatibility pathway for it because we're rebuilding our own sites in Etch. If the consequence is too high, we're likely to find a way around it.

Conclusion

Use Etch as much as possible, but build LIVE sites at your own risk. V1 is the marker for official backwards compatibility.