What language/frameworks should I use for simple web apps in 2023?

The last time I developed anything proper for the web was around 2010, when I was writing my own CMS on PHP 5.3 with a little of JQuery. Ended up on a very different career trajectory, but always been around software development.

I've been thinking about building something but struggled with adopting the modern approach of writing SPAs in Type/Java-script. It does seem like an overkill for a personal side project. And I'm not looking for job opportunities.

I'm happy to make another attempt into learning modern Javascript or something else. My questions is, is there a particular framework/language combo that will: 1. Allow me to build simple web apps with some interactivity (but not necessarily a full API-based SPA) 2. Have a viable community to learn from and ask questions if needed (doesn't have to be the biggest one)

The way people use something like Next.js just to build a personal blog seems a bit weird to me, and since I don't need this skill, I don't think I should invest in learning this.

I'm pretty comfortable with my two static blogs on Hugo, built my themes for both of theme and heavily adjusted their internal templates. I also knew Python well enough and still like it as a language.

What do you think is a good option for people like me? Commit to JavaScript (so I have to master just one language) and find a more reasonable option there? Get back to PHP, which has changed a lot (I guess Laravel+Livewire?)? Use Django with some frontend framework?

I liked some philosophy behind Basecamp's products (Turbo/Hotwire) in terms of being simple, but this community is definitely a bit too small (also works best with Rails). Even though I attached TurboLinks to my blog and like how it works.

Really open to recommendations here, spent a few days actively googling but useless SEO websites have filled everything by now.