Beyond Just Code: Crafting a Portfolio That Stands Out in 2026
Source: Dev.to
Submission for the New Year, New You Portfolio Challenge Presented by Google AI
About Me
Hi, I’m Peluola David Adeoluwa (PDA), a Frontend Architect and Web3 Creative Strategist based in West Africa, Nigeria. I’m currently a Software Engineering student at Miva Open University. I am deeply passionate about the intersection of creative design and emerging technologies, particularly Web3 and AI.
My journey began with Python automation and evolved into crafting high‑fidelity digital experiences. I don’t just write code; I orchestrate visual narratives. With this portfolio, I wanted to break away from the standard “grid of thumbnails” and create something that feels like a digital scrapbook—tactile, fluid, and deeply personal. I aim to express the intersection where technical precision meets artistic soul, using motion and typography to tell a story rather than just list skills.
Portfolio
(Content showcasing projects would be placed here.)
How I Built It
This portfolio was built with a “Design‑First” mindset, leveraging React 19, Tailwind CSS, and Framer Motion for the heavy lifting on animations.
The Design System
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I utilized a specific aesthetic I call “Glassmorphism 2.0”—combining deep midnight backgrounds (
#050505) with high‑blur glass cards (backdrop-blur-xl), grainy noise textures for depth, and sophisticated typography using Instrument Serif for headlines and Inter for body text. -
Google AI Integration: I used Google Gemini as my “Elite Creative Architect” pair programmer. Instead of asking for basic code snippets, I fed Gemini a strict design system (the 8 px rule, specific color hexes like “Singularity Blue”, and motion guidelines). Gemini helped:
- Architect the complex Framer‑Motion variants for the parallax effects in the Hero section.
- Generate the logic for the “Vault” archive modal, ensuring seamless state management between the main view and the overlay.
- Refine the responsive layouts.
What I’m Most Proud Of
- The “Vibe” & Micro‑interactions: Custom cursor physics and the floating “Available Now” badge that reacts to the environment make the site feel alive.
- The Hero Section: Parallax effect on the “P D A” background letters against the foreground profile card creates an immediate sense of depth.
- The Vault (Archive): A modal overlay acts as a “Vault” for older projects, keeping the main experience clean while preserving history (e.g., the transition from Inboxx to newer work with BCCS Hub).
- Attention to Detail: From custom SEO meta tags to precise positioning of navigation buttons.