Building a Modern Portfolio Website with Astro
Building a modern portfolio website requires careful consideration of performance, user experience, and maintainability. In this post, I’ll share my experience building this website using Astro, a modern static site generator that offers excellent performance out of the box.
Why Astro?
Astro has become my go-to choice for static websites due to its unique approach to JavaScript - it ships zero JavaScript by default unless explicitly needed. This results in incredibly fast page loads and excellent performance scores.
Key Features
- Zero JavaScript by Default: Pages load incredibly fast with minimal JavaScript
- Content Collections: Markdown-based content management with type safety
- View Transitions: Smooth page transitions for a native app-like feel
- Excellent DX: TypeScript support and great developer tooling
Performance Optimizations
The site achieves perfect Lighthouse scores through several optimizations:
- Preloaded fonts with font-display: swap
- Optimized images with proper sizing and formats
- Minimal CSS with no unused styles
- Strategic use of preloading for critical resources
Design Decisions
The design focuses on readability and minimalism while maintaining visual interest through:
- Subtle animations and transitions
- Strategic use of whitespace
- Typography-first approach
- Dark theme optimization
Building a portfolio is more than just showcasing work - it’s about creating an experience that reflects your attention to detail and technical expertise.