SM Fire Brigade library site: from static page to Worker-backed system

The SM Fire Brigade project moved from a simple static homepage into a Cloudflare Worker-backed library system with routing, image lifecycle handling, and title history tracking, across 36 commits from 2026-02-01 to 2026-02-15.

TL;DR

  • Started as a lightweight informational page with quick visual iteration.
  • Added library-specific routing and navigation (/library, about, visit) and cleaned static/Worker handoffs.
  • Standardized account/deploy guardrails and project memory so operations were repeatable.
  • Consolidated assets and fixed real-world routing issues, including typo-safe /libary redirect support.
  • Added persistence features: title history counts, stale-title endpoint, R2 cleanup, and one-time backfill endpoint.

2026-02-01 to 2026-02-03: basic site shape and identity

The early phase was straightforward and visual:

  • set title and base HTML structure
  • introduce site.css variables and responsive behavior
  • iterate logo/header usage and thumbnail presentation
  • start admin/content manager scaffolding

This was mostly about proving a clean, readable front page with enough flexibility for later library features.

2026-02-05: library route architecture and navigation cleanup

The next major jump was routing and page ownership around the library experience:

  • serving /library/about and /library/visit
  • moving between static and Worker-served approaches while fixing proxy path issues
  • correcting nav logo sizing and CSS on library pages
  • applying favicon support site-wide

Session context around this date also shows preview friction and a direct requirement to preview “the full site including the worker page.” The commits reflect exactly that: bringing static and Worker views into alignment instead of treating them as separate systems.

2026-02-11: process hardening

A smaller but important milestone landed on 2026-02-11: project guidance docs were refreshed. That gave the project explicit operational memory around account boundaries, preview workflow, and deployment behavior.

This matters because the project spans GitHub + Cloudflare + Worker + R2. Without clear runbook-style context, small changes become risky quickly.

2026-02-15: migration sprint and reliability features

Most of the heavy systems work landed in one dense sprint:

  • moved image paths into root /img
  • migrated domain/repo references to the current fire-brigade naming
  • configured Worker static asset binding
  • excluded non-site files from static uploads
  • restored legacy logo path compatibility
  • updated homepage library hero image and desktop card sizing
  • added /library fallback and typo redirect from /libary

Session prompts from this same date line up directly with the visual work: switch the homepage image, zoom out framing, resize the section on desktop, then push.

Data durability: history, stale titles, cleanup

The last two commits in the sprint added the system-level behavior that made the project more than a static brochure:

  • title history counting across scans
  • stale.json endpoint for older titles
  • R2 cleanup behavior for image lifecycle
  • one-time history backfill endpoint to bootstrap counts

This is the point where the project becomes operationally useful over time, not just “currently correct.”

Where it landed

By 2026-02-15, the project had a clear shape:

  • static site in front
  • Worker logic for library/API behavior
  • R2-backed data and image state
  • guardrailed account/deploy workflow

The arc was practical: start simple, route correctly, then add persistence and recovery paths only after the daily preview/deploy loop felt stable.