Revamping My Developer Portfolio

My old website was a simple one-page site—too minimal, lacking a blog, and with a poor project showcase. It was long overdue for a revamp. I wanted something that was not just a static portfolio but a dynamic space where I could share blogs, document projects, and experiment with new technologies.

Initially, I considered sticking with a simple Hugo setup for its speed and static nature. However, my past experience with Hugo was frustrating—keeping up with breaking changes in new versions made maintenance a hassle. Another option was to continue using React like my previous website, but that felt too repetitive. I also thought about experimenting with newer JS frameworks like SolidJS, VueJS, or Svelte, but after weighing my priorities—performance, maintainability, and ecosystem support—I decided to go with Next.js.

Choosing Next.js & ShadCN

Next.js felt like the best balance between flexibility and performance. It provides server-side rendering (SSR), static site generation (SSG), and API routes, making it perfect for a portfolio that needed both speed and dynamic content. For the UI, I went with ShadCN, a modern and elegant component library built on Radix UI, which offers customizability without unnecessary complexity.

The Push Towards a CMS

One of the biggest issues with my old site was content management. Instead of updating the source code and rebuilding the site properly, I often found myself editing the built HTML files served via GitHub Pages. This workflow was far from ideal—it was a clear sign that I needed a CMS to manage my content efficiently.

I started looking for a minimal yet functional CMS that wouldn’t add unnecessary bloat. Popular options like WordPress and Strapi felt too heavy for my needs. That’s when I discovered Payload CMS, a headless CMS designed for developers who want full control over their content model and API. It was the missing puzzle piece in my setup.

Though the initial setup of Payload CMS was confusing and frustrating, I gradually figured things out. One major advantage was its deep integration with Next.js, which made it easier to fetch and display dynamic content without additional API layers.

Final Thoughts

This revamp was more than just a design upgrade—it was about making my portfolio faster, more flexible, and easier to maintain. With Next.js, ShadCN, and Payload CMS, I now have a developer-friendly setup that allows me to focus on content and projects rather than maintenance headaches.

Would I change anything in the future? Possibly! There are always new tools and frameworks emerging, but for now, this setup feels ideal for my needs.