About me
Christopher Kurth. A digital engineer committed to a web with substance.
Hi, I’m Christopher Kurth. I help self-employed people, businesses and agencies to build sustainable web platforms and digital infrastructures. Solutions that work today and will still run just as smoothly, quickly and independently in five years’ time.
Browsing the web
Active as a service provider
Co-organiser of WP Meetups
Location / Base
From the desire to understand to a digital structure
I’ve always been driven by a curiosity to understand things down to the last detail. I’ve been active on the web since 1996, and it was precisely this curiosity that led me to get involved with the internet, websites and, eventually, WordPress. Even whilst I was training as a physics laboratory assistant at BASF, it never left my mind.
During my time in the Bundeswehr, which included training as a radiation protection officer, I put that on the back burner for a few years. Outdoor kit was more in demand back then, and I immersed myself in reading up on it with the same thoroughness as I later did with web technologies. Nevertheless, the focus on analysis, structure and reliable processes has stayed with me from that time, and this is still evident in my work today.
After that, I turned my attention to what I’d wanted to do for a long time: studying. With e-commerce, I’d found the right degree program, even though, in the end, the practical side proved more exciting to me than the lecture theater. After another foray into media informatics, it became clear to me where my real passion lies: at the intersection of technology, content structure and independence.
These days, I don’t just follow a set formula when building and managing digital projects; instead, I approach each one from scratch, tailoring my approach to the specific circumstances. If you’re interested, you can read about the various stages of my career in my CV. I often find the present more exciting: on /now you can see what I’m currently working on, and on /uses, which tools I’m using.
What remains is a mixture of technical curiosity and the need to see things through properly. In my private life, I’m a husband, a father and, if you ask me, a geek who never quite grew up, with an endless thirst for knowledge. You’ll notice this in every project I work on: I’m thorough, but never without a genuine interest in the subject.
How I can help you, specifically
You can find a detailed overview of my services on my Expertise page. Here’s the short version:
WordPress service
I build new websites, oversee relaunches and provide ongoing support for existing WordPress projects.
Online Marketing & Visibility
A website is of little use if nobody can find it. That’s why I also take care of technical SEO.
Consultancy & Strategy
If you’re unsure which solution is actually right for your project, I’m also happy to act as a sounding board.
My values: the guiding principle for my work
For me, values aren’t just window dressing for marketing. They are the guiding principle against which I measure my decisions – in code, in design and in collaboration. That’s why each value is accompanied by a description of how it is put into practice.
Digital sovereignty and independence
I build on my own land rather than on rented premises. Open-source standards are my top priority, so that you remain in control of your data, your infrastructure and your content.
To put it simply: it’s better to suggest a hosting setup that suits your situation than to force you into someone else’s ecosystem.
Substance over volume
I don’t build quick, hype-driven set-ups or implement AI without careful consideration. A website must be maintainable, data-efficient, accessible and high-performing.
To put it plainly: don’t be afraid to say that a particular trend doesn’t make sense for your project at the moment.
Reliability & mutual respect
No jargon, no hidden costs. Whether for direct clients or as a sounding board for agencies: you’ll get honest assessments, even if that means advising against something.
To be specific: this has actually cost me jobs. I do it anyway, because you need to be able to work to these standards.
Responsibility & Data Protection
Data minimisation is my default approach. I only collect data where it provides genuine added value and where users’ privacy is respected.
To be specific: for every project, ask first what is actually needed, not what is technically possible.
Give and take on the open web
I’ve learnt an awful lot from the community myself. That’s why I’m not just a user, but an active member of it:
WordCamps & Meetups
Co-organiser of the WordPress meetups in Jena and Erfurt, and a regular speaker at WordCamps and other conferences. You can find an overview of my talks and slides under Talks.
Open-source contributions
Active on WordPress.org as a translation contributor and editor in the Polyglots, as well as a photo contributor and in community support. Small contributions that benefit the whole community.
The Decentralised Web
I’m committed to a more open web beyond the major platforms, through RSS, the IndieWeb and the Fediverse. I believe decentralised technologies are a key part of digital sovereignty.
What keeps me going at work: Every new project teaches me something new, either through the implementation process itself or through the client’s field of expertise. That’s exactly what appeals to me about my work.
Christopher Kurth
Let’s have a chat
Whether you’ve got a specific web project in the pipeline, want to put your current performance to the test, or simply wish to exchange technical ideas:
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