feat: announcement blog post (#1114)

Co-authored-by: Daniel Roe <daniel@roe.dev>

Author: whitep4nth3r

app/pages/blog/alpha-release.md

@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+---
+authors:
+  - name: Daniel Roe
+    blueskyHandle: danielroe.dev
+  - name: Salma Alam-Naylor
+    blueskyHandle: whitep4nth3r.com
+  - name: Matias Capeletto
+    blueskyHandle: patak.dev
+title: "Announcing npmx: a fast, modern browser for the npm registry"
+tags: ["OpenSource", "Release"]
+excerpt: "npmx is an open-source project built by a rapidly growing community. It's for open-source developers, and by
+extension, everyone who works in the JavaScript ecosystem."
+date: "2026-03-03"
+slug: "alpha-release"
+description: "npmx is an open-source project built by a rapidly growing community. It's for open-source developers, and by
+extension, everyone who works in the JavaScript ecosystem."
+draft: false
+---
+
+# Announcing npmx: a fast, modern browser for the npm registry
+
+Today we're announcing the alpha release of [npmx.dev](https://npmx.dev), a fast, modern browser for the npm registry.
+
+npmx is an open-source project built by a rapidly growing community. It's for open-source developers, and by
+extension, everyone who works in the JavaScript ecosystem.
+
+npmx is about speed and simplicity: it's a suite of tools to make package management quicker and easier. It also
+surfaces valuable data insights coupled with power-user features to help developers discover packages and make informed
+decisions about the packages they choose to use.
+
+At the heart of npmx is the web development community. To this end, we're also integrating rich social features into npmx
+to make it easier for developers to connect with each other, share their work, collaborate on projects, and
+ultimately, to build a more vibrant and inclusive web development community through the power of the ecosystem and open
+source.
+
+## The need for npmx
+
+On January 22nd 2026, Daniel Roe, open-source maintainer and founder, and leader of the [Nuxt](https://nuxt.com/) core
+team, had an idea, and made
+[the first commit to the npmx repository](https://github.com/npmx-dev/npmx.dev/commit/e39e56c08fd1e7bdb556c8565c6b11b3c34c8934).
+The next day, [Daniel posted on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/danielroe.dev/post/3md3cmrg56k2r) to ask about
+people's frustrations with the npm experience on the web and the CLI. The question resonated deeply with the community
+as they voiced frustrations with the user experience including code browsing, missing data, trust signals, surfacing
+dependencies, and the friction surrounding the publishing experience.
+
+It was clear there was a huge opportunity to build a fast, modern browser for the npm registry with an improved
+developer experience, and that there were people willing to work with Daniel to build it.
+
+## The power of community
+
+Enthusiasm traveled quickly through the network about the idea of npmx, and just a day later, the project began to grow
+_exponentially_. In just 24 hours, a thriving community had mobilized in the form of contributions to the npmx project,
+and opened 49 pull requests in a single day. And this showed no signs of slowing down. Just two weeks later, the
+[community had contributed 1000 issues and PRs](https://github.com/npmx-dev/npmx.dev/issues/1000) to the project. The
+statistics tell a story of _one pull request or issue every 20 minutes_, around the clock, which equated to **over a
+million seconds of project activity in 14 days**. We don't know how the exact statistics compare, but with
+[over 105 contributors](https://github.com/npmx-dev/npmx.dev/graphs/contributors) to npmx to date, and 1500 stars on the project in just 16 days, we hypothesize that this might be the most active early open-source
+project yet.
+
+[![Star History Chart](https://api.star-history.com/svg?repos=npmx-dev/npmx.dev&type=date&legend=top-left)](https://www.star-history.com/#npmx-dev/npmx.dev&type=date&legend=top-left)
+
+At npmx, we don't believe this happened by chance. npmx was created to meet the needs of a global and diverse developer
+community, prioritizing accessibility, internationalization, and decentralization. As a result, a strong and diverse
+global community came together to realize this vision. And the great thing about people who believe in these areas of
+focus is that they're all committed to collaborating in meaningful ways while building an inclusive and welcoming
+environment in which to do so: together. The npmx project is a testament to how open source is an enabler for
+individuals, and a powerful catalyst to build community when done really, really well.
+
+## What's included in the npmx alpha release
+
+We've packed a lot into the alpha release. Here's an overview of what you can expect from npmx today.
+
+Search and view details about packages, users and organizations available on npm, dive deeper into the code, plus get
+detailed information on:
+
+- download statistics
+- outdated dependency warnings
+- module format (ESM/CJS)
+- install size calculation
+- JSR cross-reference
+- multi-provider repo support
+- version range resolution
+- package likes and other social features
+- performance recommendations powered by [e18n](https://e18e.dev/)
+
+You also get quick access to StackBlitz, CodeSandbox, and other demo environments from package READMEs files. Plus, use
+npmx in 19 languages and additional locales, customize your experience with light or dark mode, and power-up your
+workflow across the user interface with intuitive keyboard shortcuts.
+
+## The future of npmx
+
+Our goal at npmx is to build a faster, modern package browsing and management experience _for everyone in the JavaScript
+ecosystem_. We're moving fast, but we know we don't have all the answers. To work toward this goal, today we're building
+together for our peers: open-source developers who work with packages on a daily basis who are keen early adopters
+willing to try out the alpha to help us identify what's working and what's not. Our aim is to build on our progress to
+date, and learn together how to tackle the next stage of releasing npmx in beta for a wider audience.
+
+## Join us at npmx
+
+Open source is an incredible way to gain professional experience, make new friends, and help make The Web ecosystem
+better for everyone.
+
+We'd love to welcome you to the npmx community to experience how good open source can be. Even if you've never
+contributed to an open source project before, you are welcome to join us and get involved. If you're unsure where to
+start, Salma Alam-Naylor has put together
+[a ten step guide to making your first open-source contribution on GitHub](https://whitep4nth3r.com/blog/how-to-make-your-first-open-source-contribution/)
+to help you get started. Below this post, you'll also find a collection of articles written by contributors to the npmx
+project from a wide variety of perspectives and experiences.
+
+The alpha release of npmx is intentionally early. We want real-world feedback from _you_ to guide our roadmap and priorities. Try [npmx](https://npmx.dev) today, let us know what you think and share your use-cases and missing features at [chat.npmx.dev](https://chat.npmx.dev). [Open an issue on GitHub](https://github.com/npmx-dev/npmx.dev/issues) or submit a pull request, and [follow npmx.dev on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/npmx.dex) to keep up to date with what we're working on.
+
+And thank you: thank you to every single human who has contributed to npmx so far, whether that's in the form of code, documentation, testing, community activities, and more. You are the people building npmx; you are the people building the future we want.