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Infrastructure as Code: Terraform vs CloudFormation vs Pulumi Comparison

Compare Infrastructure as Code tools: Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, and Pulumi. Learn their strengths, use cases, and which tool fits your cloud infrastructure needs.

Infrastructure as Code: Terraform vs CloudFormation vs Pulumi Comparison

Your portfolio is often the first impression potential clients or employers have of your work. In today's competitive landscape, having a well-designed, fast, and responsive portfolio website is crucial for standing out.

Portfolio Website Design

Why Choose NextJS for Your Portfolio?

NextJS offers several advantages for portfolio websites:

  • Performance: Built-in optimization and static generation
  • SEO: Server-side rendering for better search visibility
  • Developer Experience: Hot reload, TypeScript support, and modern tooling
  • Flexibility: Can be deployed anywhere and scales easily

Essential Portfolio Sections

Hero Section

Your hero section should immediately communicate who you are and what you do.

export default function Hero() {
  return (
    <section className="min-h-screen flex items-center justify-center">
      <div className="text-center space-y-6">
        <h1 className="text-4xl md:text-6xl font-bold">
          Hi, I'm <span className="text-blue-600">John Doe</span>
        </h1>
        <p className="text-xl text-gray-600 max-w-2xl mx-auto">
          Full-stack developer passionate about creating beautiful, functional
          web experiences
        </p>
        <div className="flex gap-4 justify-center">
          <Button variant="primary">View My Work</Button>
          <Button variant="outline">Contact Me</Button>
        </div>
      </div>
    </section>
  );
}

Project Showcase

Display your best work with engaging visuals and clear descriptions.

interface Project {
  id: string;
  title: string;
  description: string;
  image: string;
  technologies: string[];
  liveUrl?: string;
  githubUrl?: string;
}

export default function ProjectGrid({ projects }: { projects: Project[] }) {
  return (
    <div className="grid md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-8">
      {projects.map((project) => (
        <div
          key={project.id}
          className="group relative overflow-hidden rounded-lg"
        >
          <img
            src={project.image}
            alt={project.title}
            className="w-full h-48 object-cover transition-transform group-hover:scale-105"
          />
          <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black/80 to-transparent opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity">
            <div className="absolute bottom-4 left-4 right-4">
              <h3 className="text-white font-semibold">{project.title}</h3>
              <p className="text-gray-200 text-sm">{project.description}</p>
            </div>
          </div>
        </div>
      ))}
    </div>
  );
}

Minimalist Layouts

Clean, focused designs that put your work front and center:

  • Generous white space
  • Typography-first approach
  • Subtle animations and transitions
  • Limited color palettes

Interactive Elements

Engage visitors with interactive components:

import { useState } from "react";

export default function InteractiveSkillBar() {
  const [hoveredSkill, setHoveredSkill] = useState<string | null>(null);

  const skills = [
    { name: "React", level: 90 },
    { name: "TypeScript", level: 85 },
    { name: "NextJS", level: 88 },
  ];

  return (
    <div className="space-y-4">
      {skills.map((skill) => (
        <div
          key={skill.name}
          onMouseEnter={() => setHoveredSkill(skill.name)}
          onMouseLeave={() => setHoveredSkill(null)}
          className="relative"
        >
          <div className="flex justify-between mb-1">
            <span className="font-medium">{skill.name}</span>
            <span className="text-sm text-gray-600">{skill.level}%</span>
          </div>
          <div className="w-full bg-gray-200 rounded-full h-2">
            <div
              className="bg-blue-600 h-2 rounded-full transition-all duration-700 ease-out"
              style={{
                width: hoveredSkill === skill.name ? `${skill.level}%` : "0%",
              }}
            />
          </div>
        </div>
      ))}
    </div>
  );
}

Dark Mode Support

Implement dark mode for better user experience:

"use client";

import { useTheme } from "next-themes";
import { useState, useEffect } from "react";

export default function ThemeToggle() {
  const [mounted, setMounted] = useState(false);
  const { theme, setTheme } = useTheme();

  useEffect(() => {
    setMounted(true);
  }, []);

  if (!mounted) {
    return null;
  }

  return (
    <button
      onClick={() => setTheme(theme === "dark" ? "light" : "dark")}
      className="p-2 rounded-lg bg-gray-200 dark:bg-gray-800"
    >
      {theme === "dark" ? "☀️" : "🌙"}
    </button>
  );
}

Performance Optimization

Image Optimization

Use NextJS Image component for optimal loading:

import Image from "next/image";

export default function OptimizedPortfolioImage() {
  return (
    <Image
      src="/project-screenshot.jpg"
      alt="Project Screenshot"
      width={600}
      height={400}
      placeholder="blur"
      blurDataURL="data:image/jpeg;base64,..."
      className="rounded-lg"
    />
  );
}

Static Generation

Pre-generate pages for better performance:

export async function getStaticProps() {
  const projects = await getProjects();

  return {
    props: {
      projects,
    },
    revalidate: 3600, // Revalidate every hour
  };
}

SEO Best Practices

Meta Tags

import Head from "next/head";

export default function Portfolio() {
  return (
    <>
      <Head>
        <title>John Doe - Full Stack Developer</title>
        <meta
          name="description"
          content="Portfolio of John Doe, a full-stack developer specializing in React and NextJS"
        />
        <meta property="og:title" content="John Doe - Full Stack Developer" />
        <meta
          property="og:description"
          content="Portfolio showcasing modern web development projects"
        />
        <meta property="og:image" content="/og-image.jpg" />
        <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
      </Head>
      {/* Your portfolio content */}
    </>
  );
}

Structured Data

Add JSON-LD structured data for better search visibility:

const portfolioSchema = {
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Person",
  name: "John Doe",
  jobTitle: "Full Stack Developer",
  url: "https://johndoe.dev",
  sameAs: ["https://github.com/johndoe", "https://linkedin.com/in/johndoe"],
};

export default function Portfolio() {
  return (
    <>
      <script
        type="application/ld+json"
        dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: JSON.stringify(portfolioSchema) }}
      />
      {/* Your content */}
    </>
  );
}

Conclusion

Creating an effective NextJS portfolio requires thoughtful planning, clean design, and optimal performance. Focus on showcasing your best work, ensuring fast load times, and providing a great user experience across all devices.

Remember to regularly update your portfolio with new projects and keep your content fresh and relevant to your target audience.