
Mobile-First Front-End Development - Salsify
A modern frontend system for legacy news websites
Industry
Technology
Services
Customer’s Location
The USA
Italy
About the Project
Salsify is a mobile-first frontend platform engineered by ELITEX for the North American bureau of Il Sole 24 Ore, Italy’s leading financial newspaper. This was our first project with the client, later followed by PostCMS and Imagex.
Salsify functions as a hybrid system that extends beyond typical frontend capabilities. It independently extracts content from legacy systems into its own database, and then presents it through a modern, lightning-fast interface. With offline functionality and intelligent caching that anticipates user navigation, Salsify delivers a seamless reading experience while protecting the client’s existing infrastructure investment.
The Challenge
The 24 Ore Group’s websites relied on outdated technologies that damaged user experience and looked visually dated. Their systems were massive, with numerous dependencies built up over years of development. A complete rebuild or technology migration would drain both time and financial resources, so the client chose a practical solution — to modernize the customer-facing frontend while preserving their existing backend infrastructure and data.
The Process
We tackled this project as a fully functional R&D team with considerable creative freedom. Rather than following conventional web development approaches, we designed a solution more aligned with mobile app architecture. The team adopted the Scrum methodology, delivering tangible results at the end of each sprint.
This approach allowed us to maintain weeks of independent development while still following the client’s strategic vision. We could implement solutions as we saw fit, with the client providing direction rather than micromanaging our technical decisions. This balanced autonomy proved invaluable for innovation.
The Solution
Salsify functions as a backend-agnostic frontend capable of connecting to virtually any API or data source. Built with JavaScript as its foundation, the system leverages Angular, Node.js, and Sails.js within a microservice architecture. The server-side application consists of two key components: a REST API responding to user requests and a service that extracts content from external sources.
These components communicate through queues for easy scaling. Our MongoDB database efficiently manages large volumes of structured and unstructured data pulled from legacy systems.
Here is what makes Salsify exceptional:
- Lightning-fast performance achieved by preloading and caching logic and templates on the frontend
- First-visit loading that eliminates subsequent server rendering
- Offline functionality that users barely notice
- Smart content preloading that anticipates user navigation paths
- REST API architecture returning only raw data, including newly published content
- Compatibility with various backends (APIs, XML feeds, WordPress, Methode, etc)
- Modular design separating templates, typography, and styles from logic
- Cost-effective hosting on a single AWS instance with horizontal scaling options when needed
This architecture enables pages to load without delay, as the browser loads the application just once. When users navigate through the site, there’s no need to render pages on the server again—together with other features creating a fluid, app-like experience.
The Result
ELITEX delivered a state-of-the-art system that dramatically improved website speed and user experience. Our client gained the ability to transform any of their existing sites into fast, modern web applications while protecting their backend investment.
Salsify’s success as our first project with Il Sole 24 Ore established a strong partnership that led to two additional systems: PostCMS, which enabled rapid new site development with flexible lightweight tools for content management, and Imagex, which unified and accelerated existing media files wherever integrated.

From concept to the final product, ELITEX has been a precious resource for our company and the mind behind our content management system. It is about more than just great knowledge in web programming; ELITEX guys take their role further. They offer their ideas and perspective and contribute to making things that were not there before, which is true.
Our Project Team
The senior-level team collaborated over several years without a formal team lead, fostering a flat structure where expertise guided decision-making. The team comprised:
- One backend developer who doubled as DevOps specialist, handling server configuration and deployment pipelines
- Two frontend developers focusing on the user interface and experience aspects
- One QA engineer ensuring quality and testing across all system components
- One project manager coordinating client communication and sprint planning
Why Partner With ELITEX
Il 24 Ore Group selected ELITEX for our proven media expertise, JavaScript proficiency, and strategic approach. Our understanding of news operations meant we could solve challenges before they emerged.
Our industry insights, paired with excellent technical skills, enabled us to implement modern solutions delivering remarkable speed where it counted most - in the daily workflow of journalists working with tight deadlines.
This Salsify case study demonstrates key advantages that make ELITEX the ideal partner for media organizations:
- Media domain knowledge — Our years working with news outlets ensure we understand the unique content challenges of fast-paced newsrooms.
- Frontend and JavaScript excellence — Our expertise allows us to create interfaces that content teams can use easily, even under the pressure of deadlines.
- Independent development — We operate as a self-directed R&D team, requiring minimal supervision while delivering exceptional results.
- Performance-focused solutions — We build systems that prioritize speed, vital for media sites where loading time directly impacts reader engagement.
- Adaptive team structures — Whether you need a complete team or specialists to enhance your existing staff, we adapt to your requirements.
- Future-proof technology — We employ cutting-edge tools while ensuring reliability for critical publishing operations.

Other Case Studies
Custom Content Management System Development - PostCMS
A next-gen custom CMS for media organizations
Problem
Il Sole 24 Ore needed a custom CMS that could deliver high speed, SEO optimization, and collaborative features while integrating with their existing software ecosystem.
Solution
ELITEX developed a scalable NodeJS-based CMS with advanced content management tools, schema.org integration, and a clean UI that supports multiple content types and collaborative editing.

Digital Media Library Software - Imagex
A multi-website media management system
Problem
The client, Il Sole 24 Ore, needed a centralized system to store and manage media content across multiple websites, as editors struggled with handling different types of media separately.
Solution
ELITEX built a digital library using Node.js and MongoDB that automatically processes and stores media files, featuring smart tagging, multi-format support, and easy integration with third-party websites.

HR Software Development Services - Zippia
AI-driven career path mapping and job search platform with advanced data visualization
Problem
Zippia needed to migrate from AngularJS to React for better site performance while requiring help with processing large amounts of data and improving their UI/UX.
Solution
ELITEX provided a team of full-stack JavaScript engineers, data engineers, and UI/UX designers who helped migrate the platform to React while continuously developing new features and optimizing user experience.

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