How should I join the legs to the apron for a sturdy side table?

[IsabellaT]

I finally got my hands on some nice hardwood to build a small side table, but I'm completely stuck on how to join the legs to the apron. I tried sketching a few options, but I'm worried a simple butt joint won't be strong enough for the kind of daily use it will get.

[Scott4]

Yeah, I get the worry. Butt joints on a little side table can feel fine at first and then go soft after a few uses. I started with that and the legs would creep. I did a through mortise and tenon with drawbore pins and it was a lot stiffer, but not magically solid. Still careful with the glue and clamps.

[George90]

I tried dowels and glue, and it sounded tight until the first kid knocked it. The apron kept lifting on one side. Not great. I ended up adding a small cross brace under the apron, and it helped a bit, though it isn't the cleanest look.

[Dennis.T]

Are you sure the problem is the join or is the design of the apron itself inviting wobble? Sometimes a lightly sized brace or a hidden spline makes more difference than you expect.

[TylerJW]

One night I drifted from the join talk to finishing and clamps. I set a quick dry fit on scraps and that tiny test told me the leg alignment mattered more than any fancy join. It felt like a detour, but it kept reminding me not to overthink the method.