I'm building my portfolio website to showcase what I've been up to over the past couple of years, but I'm unsure whether I need a backend. Currently, I've created a simple implementation using a "Project" struct in TypeScript, where I define title, description, date, and image sources from my assets folder. This works well for me, allowing easy updates by just pushing a new array of projects to the site. I'm debating if I should go through the effort of creating a backend involving authentication, a database, and possibly storage solutions, given that my site's updates are infrequent. What do you all think?
4 Answers
I think you might not need a backend at all! I went with a static site generator for my personal website. It’s super easy—just create a new markdown file with the necessary info and deploy it. No authentication, no database, zero risks to worry about!
Honestly, it might be overkill to set up a backend just for your portfolio. Unless you're doing it for practice, it seems like extra work. If you're experienced in backend development, then it could make sense, but for most portfolios, a simple static site should do the job!
You might want to think about using a CMS. That way, you wouldn't have to set up a backend yourself. I use Payload for my site; it manages the authentication for me and can be integrated with a Next.js app if you prefer that route!
Do you really need a backend for updating your projects? You could just edit the HTML directly! It might save you money and hassle. If you need advanced features like a login portal later down the road, then maybe look into it, but otherwise, it could just complicate things unnecessarily.
That makes sense! Keeping it simple is definitely appealing, especially for occasional updates.