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Guide7 min read

The Complete Developer Portfolio Guide

How to build a developer portfolio that showcases your coding skills, projects, and makes recruiters take notice.

Why Developers Need Portfolios

Your GitHub profile is great, but it's not a portfolio. A dedicated portfolio website helps you:

  • Contextualize your work - Explain the problems you solved
  • Highlight key projects - Not everything on GitHub matters equally
  • Show your personality - Stand out from other developers
  • Demonstrate frontend skills - Prove you can build polished products
  • Control the narrative - Present work how you want it seen

    • What to Include

    1. Featured Projects

    Choose 4-6 of your best projects. For each, include:

  • Project name and description
  • Technologies used
  • Your role and contributions
  • Links to live demo and source code
  • Screenshots or GIFs

    • 2. About Section

    Share your story:

  • Your background and journey
  • What you're passionate about
  • Technologies you specialize in
  • What you're currently learning

    • 3. Skills Section

    List your technical skills:

  • Programming languages
  • Frameworks and libraries
  • Tools and platforms
  • Soft skills (optional)

    • 4. Contact Information

    Make it easy to reach you:

  • Email address
  • LinkedIn profile
  • GitHub profile
  • Twitter (optional)

    • Project Selection Tips

    Include a Variety

    Show range in your projects:

  • Different technologies
  • Different scales (small and large)
  • Different purposes (tools, apps, games)

    • Prioritize Impact

    Choose projects that demonstrate:

  • Problem-solving ability
  • Clean code practices
  • User-focused thinking
  • Technical depth

    • Don't Forget Side Projects

    Personal projects show passion and initiative. Include projects that demonstrate interests beyond your day job.

    Writing Project Descriptions

    For each project, answer:

  • What problem does it solve?
  • What technologies did you use and why?
  • What challenges did you overcome?
  • What would you do differently?

    • Technical Considerations

    Performance

    Your portfolio reflects your skills. Make sure it:

  • Loads quickly
  • Works on all devices
  • Has no console errors
  • Follows accessibility basics

    • Source Code

    Consider open-sourcing your portfolio. It's another project to showcase!

    Common Mistakes

  • Too much text - Show, don't tell
  • Broken links - Test everything regularly
  • Outdated projects - Remove old, irrelevant work
  • No live demos - Deploy your projects
  • Generic design - Add personal touches

    • Build Your Developer Portfolio

    Ready to create your portfolio? Instafolio makes it easy with developer-friendly templates. Showcase your projects, skills, and GitHub contributions in minutes.

    Start building today—it's free.

    Ready to Build Your Portfolio?

    Create a stunning portfolio website in minutes. No coding required.

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    The Complete Developer Portfolio Guide | Instafolio Blog