Making a Web Portfolio

Basic idea: get your work & CV online!

Website nutshell: websites are files accessible online via HTTP that you download and look at with a web browser.

Hosted

Use a company that provides both web server space as well as an online CMS (Content Management System).

Pros:

• easy to use
• access to exiting templates
• focus on you work, less fiddling with setup, etc
• the host takes care of updating the software, layout, etc

Cons:

• space limitations for free accounts
• less flexible, harder to "make it your own"
• generally stuck with their domain -> tumblr.com/johndoe instead of johndoeart.com
• best hosted sites cost $$$ (Squarespace), especially if you need more than 1

A few options:

• Wordpress.com (free, portfolio templates)
• Tumblr (free, blog focused)
• Blogger (free, blog focused)
• Square Space (hyped right now)

DIY

Pay for web space and set up your own domain.

"Web space" is simply storage on some Internet-connected computer some where (web server). A "domain" is the URL that can be associated with a web server, so typing in "google.com" takes you to the web server that hosts the Google web site.

With great power, comes great responsibility. - someone, somewhere

Pros:

• host your own domain(s)
• work beyond templates, flexibility to "make it your own"
• more space
• cheaper in the long run (& share with friends / family)

Cons:

• requires more initial set up & fiddling
• up to you to handle updates (ie. Wordpress)
• you'll need to learn HTML + CSS in order customize themes, templates, etc

Rolling Your Own (old skool)

• install a content-aware text editor (ie. Sublime Text, Notepad++, etc)
• learn HTML & CSS: there are plenty of tutorials & information online
• start making a set of basic pages...
• and/or find a template to download & modify:
  • HTML5 UP
  • templated
  • tooplate
• you can also install/run a web server on your own computer for testing & development:
  • MAMP (My Apache - MySQL - PHP)
  • Set up Apache, PHP & MySQL on newer Macs
  • etc

Flat File CMS (PHP)

Only requires a web server space & PHP installed.¹

• Indexhibit (simplest)
• Stacey (dead?)
• Yellow
• Grav
• Kirby (paid, easy to use)

Database CMS

Requires a web server space, PHP, & a database (generally MySQL).¹

• Wordpress

Getting Stuff onto your Web Server

Generally each web host offers a browser-based method of accessing files on your web server space.

Other options include applications for connecting to and working with your files:

• Cyberduck
• Filezilla

Content Hosting

Now that you have a website, where to host your content (images, videos, etc)?

You can either:

• host your content on your site itself
• host it on another content-oriented site/service (Flickr, Youtube, Vimeo, etc)

Nowadays, everyone is lazy, so sharing has to be easy. What's easy? Using a site/service everyone already knows.

Most flexible option: Do both. Host on a content site/service and then embed the content on your site. You get the best of both: your own web presence and content that people can more easily share.

Caveats

Always back up your site data & content. Do not assume everything is safe online!