I completely agree. In 2008 at my first coding job we used plain php/MySQL with no caching and the sites were responsive. Plus they required like zero maintenan

I completely agree. In 2008 at my first coding job we used plain php/MySQL with no caching and the sites were responsive. Plus they required like zero maintenance! In 2009 I went to work for a Django shop and was introduced to caching, reverse proxies/wsgi servers, templating, etc. It took a long time to buy in to this way of doing things, as it seemed intentionally complicated for no reason. Over time I've learned to appreciate that there are real benefits, but it wasn't immediately obvious to me. Regarding js templating, spa's, and all that stuff: I've tried to keep my previous experience in mind, and be open-minded about the potential benefits of these technologies. But I haven't seen any as yet.