Student | C# | Python | Docker | Blender | HTML | GitHub
Note: This project was developed with assistance from AI tools for formatting and layout help.
I built my personal portfolio website starting from a basic AI-generated template, improving it into a clean, readable, and professional site. I structured the HTML and separated the CSS into its own file to keep the code organized, experimented with layout variations and color schemes, and added proper navigation links alongside a “Back to Top” button. Along the way, I refined sections like About Me, Skills, and Contact, organized assets into folders for future use, and published the repository on GitHub under the MIT License. This project was completed without prior HTML experience and gave me hands-on practice with basic web development, file organization, and hosting.
Hour 0-1: Started with an AI-generated barebones template. Using Notepad, I experimented with HTML tags and CSS properties to see how changes affected the layout, getting a feel for how the basic sections work.
Hour 1-3: Attempted to improve the code indentation manually, but instead decided to use AI to properly format the code. Chose and applied a color scheme. Labeled each section of the website and had AI double-check the labeling. Fixed the contact section and filled in the skills section with accurate information. Added a proper "About Me" section and labeled the header with my skills, name, and title.
Hour 3-6: Learned to create links and redirects between pages using href, applying AI guidance to make navigation look professional. Created a GitHub account, created a repository, and experimented with managing it until a satisfactory level of organization was reached. Moved the CSS to a separate file (style.css) for easier editing and reuse across multiple project pages. Added a Back to Top button using the header ID "top" and styled it for visibility.
Hour 6-9: Refined long paragraphs for readability. With AI assistance, fixed scaling issues to ensure the site displayed properly on both small and large screens. Added comments to highlight sections needing improvement. I created an assets folder for images/fonts and a templates folder for future expansions or reuse. Released the project under the MIT license. I originally decided to host the portfolio via Netlify for its easy hosting, robust uptime, and automatic updates on Git pushes. However, I decided to switch over to hosting on GitHub Pages alongside local self-hosting; this setup allows me to not worry about hitting free tier bandwidth limits and ensures I still have access to the site at school.
I chose to host my portfolio on GitHub Pages because it offers free, reliable hosting that connects directly with my GitHub repository for easy updates. I also decided to self-host a copy on my Pi server to guarantee access on restricted networks (like school systems) where GitHub domain paths are often blocked. I thought about using Netlify for its features, but decided against it due to free tier limitations. I also contemplated splitting the content across two separate pages to keep the layout shorter, but found it unnecessary given the site’s small size. Finally, I chose a custom color scheme, as the standard light and dark themes were either too bright or too dim, and updated the navigation bar with project-specific shortcuts.
arests2000@gmail.com