I recently shared my portfolio site with the Free Code Camp Nashville group and got some inquiries into some of the technologies and features I used to build it. So I figured I’d share all aspects of the site and some steps to utilizing the same tools I did.
Should I build my site from scratch?
When I asked this question to the ever helpful NashDev community I received a resounding “No” from Senior devs. This might seem counter intuitive, however, the overall thought process was if you’re just starting out, unless you’re looking to be considered a designer, then using something someone else has already done very well as the base of your portfolio is better than building it yourself. Concentrate on highlighting the things that you are going to be doing in a potential job, not on the overall layout and design of your portfolio site. I decided to go with a template from HTML5 UP for a few reasons. First, they’re FREE as long as you keep the attribution. Second, AJ who creates these amazing templates is based out of Nashville just like me and had in the past connected me with some solid people to have beer/coffee with and discuss my career. Third, it’s a static site. That is, it’s 100% HTML, CSS & JavaScript so I would have many simple options for hosting when I got to that point. Lastly, all of the templates are responsive so if a potential hiring manager clicks through from their phone they’re going to get a great experience.
Continue reading “Portfolio Site How-To For New Developers”