In 2025, not having a personal website is like not having a phone number in 1995. Let's fix that.
A generic LinkedIn profile.
Just like everyone else's.
Your story. Your work. Your way.
Memorable. Professional. Yours.
Recruiters Google you. What do they find? Control the narrative with a portfolio that shows, not tells.
Freelance, consult, sell. Your website is a 24/7 sales rep.
Share what you know. Become the go-to person in your field.
Social media algorithms change. Your website is forever yours. No gatekeepers. No character limits. No algorithm deciding who sees your work.
6 months of tutorials, bootcamps, and frustration
2 weeks of customization and compromise
20 minutes. Tell AI what you want. Done.
"The best time to build a website was 10 years ago.
The second best time is right now."
<html>
<head>
<title>Your Name</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Hello, World!</h1>
</body>
</html>Organize your stuff
HTML, CSS, JavaScript
Seriously. That's all it is.
"Your workshop where you write code"
An Integrated Development Environment is the app where you write, edit, and test your code. Think of it like Microsoft Word, but for code.
"Your Google Drive for code"
A repository (or "repo") stores all your code files, tracks every change you make, and lets you collaborate with others. It's like a super-powered folder with version history.
"A computer that's always on, serving your site"
Hosting is a computer (server) connected to the internet 24/7 that stores your website files and delivers them to anyone who visits your URL.
"Your website's street address"
A domain name (like yourname.com) is the human-readable address people type to visit your site. Without it, they'd have to remember a string of numbers (IP address).
| Component | What It Does | Free Options | Paid Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDE | Write & edit code | VS Code | Cursor ($20/mo) |
| Repository | Store & version code | GitHub (unlimited public) | GitHub Pro ($4/mo) |
| Hosting | Serve your website | Vercel, Netlify | Vercel Pro ($20/mo) |
| Domain | yourname.com address | *.vercel.app, *.netlify.app | ~$12-20/year |
Learn HTML, CSS, JavaScript (3-6 months)
Learn a framework like React or Vue (2-3 months)
Set up development environment manually
Write every line of code yourself
Debug for hours when things break
Configure hosting, domains, SSL manually
Open an AI-powered IDE or builder
Describe what you want in plain English
AI writes the code for you
Click deploy
Install on your computer. More powerful, more control, steeper learning curve.
Run in your browser. No install needed. Perfect for beginners.
Describe your site in plain English. Watch it appear. Deploy in one click.
Head to lovable.dev and sign up. GitHub account recommended but not required.
Tell it what you want. "A minimal portfolio for a computer science student with dark mode and a projects section."
Click publish. Your site is live. Add a custom domain later if you want.
These templates are free, open-source, and ready to customize. Fork them, remix them, make them yours.
Clean developer portfolio with projects section
Minimal one-page portfolio, very popular
Feature-rich with animations & themes
100+ portfolio examples for inspiration
The most forked developer portfolio ever
Ultra-minimal blog + portfolio (Vercel VP)
Want more? Browse thousands of templates on
If you want to understand what's happening under the hood
Where to store and version control your code
Servers to make your site live on the internet
Get your yourname.com address
Build without coding (what we're using today)
For when you're ready to level up
See what great websites look like
Drag-and-drop website builders