Website
This Project aims as a way to showcase my projects and blogs in a more professional way.
This post refers to a previous version of my personal website (v1.0).
Introduction
I am excited to share my newest project a personal website that is hosted on jay.estopia.net. It will have my portfolio, Where I will show my projects and I will also maintain a blog. The main use of this website will be for Colleges, universities and employers to utilize this platform as a way to view my work hopefully helping me pursue educational opportunities and career choices.
Completing this project marks an achievement, I am also excited to see how much progress I have made in React and other Technologies I used. I am eager to continue building my skills in web development and exploring other technologies I can use.
Project Overview
This website is built using React and Node.js, this will serve as my personal hub that will have my portfolio and my blog inside. I have designed this site to be as functional and visually appealing as I can currently, ensuring that visitors can easily view my Projects and read my blog posts. The focus is on creating a good UX.
What I learned
With the development of this Project, I have expanded my understanding in technologies like React and JavaScript, especially with adding animations using AOS (Animate On Scroll), This was used to create light but impactful animations to this site. This should make it more engaging for visitors and increasing the overall visual appeal of the website.
Additionally, This helped me refine my problem solving skills. Since I faced multiple challenges, each of which required research, experimentation and I had to make multiple solutions. This hands-on experience has been very helpful in helping my knowledge in front end development.
Challenges and Solutions
One of the challenges, I hit was finding a nice way to easily present my Projects on the /Projects page. To address this, I:
- Asked for Feedback: I asked others for their feedback on several designs I made and Implemented their feedback
- Researched: I researched how other developers structured their project pages on their websites and took inspiration from them
Another challenge I hit was finding a nice way to display content on a smaller screen like a phone. To Address this issue, I:
- Tested, Changed: I Tested and changed the design constantly to adjust for a phone screen
- Asking Others: I got others to test it on there phone and provide feedback on the mobile view
The final challenge I encountered was thinking about what the “Read Me” Buttons should lead to on Projects, To achieve a design, I:
- Wrote Ideas: I wrote down all the possibilities of what it could be
- Weighted Options: I weighted all the options I had to make the answer easier to see
Link to the Projects
You can view this Project at https://jay.estopia.net and all other Projects at https://jay.estopia.net/projects
Future Improvements
Looking ahead, I want to focus on the UI and UX, since these are the areas where I feel I have the most room for growth and Improvement. Enhancing the UI will also help create a nicer more visually appealing site to visitors, and working on the UX should help make the website more intuitive.
Additionally, I want to add more blog content on a semi-regular basis. My goal would be to create a dynamic platform that will not only showcase my work but provide valuable insights and information. I will work on this site updating it and adding new features, I also want to listen to user feedback and I plan to add a comment and suggestion system soon.
Conclusion
This Project has been a rewarding learning experience, helping me acquire skills and refine my existing skills. I encourage you to explore the rest of the website and share any feedback you may have.
A special thanks to Jayden and Leo for their valuable advice on the UI and UX improvements.