From Zero to AI: How I Built an Interactive Portfolio with Google Antigravity & Gemini (Zero Investment Challenge)
Source: Dev.to
This portfolio was built for the New Year, New You Portfolio Challenge with a strict ₹0 investment constraint—no credit cards, no paid subscriptions, only free tools and a lot of creativity. The result is an interactive, AI‑powered web portfolio that runs entirely on free services.
Tech Stack (100 % Free)
| Component | Tool | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Frontend | React + Vite | Lightning‑fast builds, industry standard |
| AI Engine | Google Gemini API (Free Tier) | Cutting‑edge LLM without the bill |
| Prototyping | Google Antigravity | Rapid AI‑assisted layout generation |
| Hosting | Vercel | Automatic deployments, zero cost |
| Design | Custom CSS | Full control, no framework bloat |
| Version Control | GitHub | Essential for any serious dev |
Google Antigravity – The Magic Behind the Portfolio
Google Antigravity is a free, AI‑assisted web‑app builder. Using it, I was able to:
- Prototype rapidly – described the portfolio concept and let the AI suggest layouts.
- Iterate instantly – changed colors, reorganized sections, and tested designs without writing code.
- Export clean code – received ready‑to‑use React/HTML that I could refine further.
- Learn while building – the generated code demonstrated best practices I could adopt.
What would normally take a junior developer 2–3 days of CSS tweaking and layout trial‑and‑error was accomplished in a few hours, turning an idea into a deployed prototype in a single day.
Features
Live AI Playground Integration
- A real, working AI assistant powered by the Google Gemini API.
- Visitors can ask questions about my skills, projects, or anything else and receive instant, intelligent responses.
- Demonstrates competence with API integration, async/await, error handling, and real‑time user interactions.
Built with Antigravity – A Study in Modern Development
- Leveraged Antigravity to validate design decisions and accelerate prototyping.
- Shows pragmatism (using the right tool), efficiency (shipping faster without sacrificing quality), and adaptability (learning new platforms).
Zero‑Investment, Maximum Impact
- Every line of code runs on free services; no credit card required.
- Highlights how constraints can spark creativity and that a VC‑funded budget isn’t necessary for professional work.
Professional Design with Personal Flair
- Custom gradient backgrounds, smooth animations, responsive mobile layout, and a modern aesthetic that stands out from generic templates.
Full Development Workflow
-
Day 1 – Ideation & Prototyping
- Explored Google Antigravity and its capabilities.
- Generated multiple design variations in hours.
-
Day 2 – Development & Integration
- Exported Antigravity code and refined it in VS Code.
- Integrated the Gemini API for the AI Playground.
- Built custom components for projects, skills, and contact sections.
- Tested responsiveness across devices.
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Day 3 – Deployment & Optimization
- Pushed the repository to GitHub.
- Deployed to Vercel with automatic CI/CD.
- Performed live testing and performance tuning.
The portfolio is now live and fully functional.
Future Plans
- Add more Gemini API features (e.g., code‑review assistant, AI‑powered resume generator).
- Expand the projects section with live demos.
- Publish technical blog posts on Dev.to, Hashnode, and Medium to monetize insights.
- Package the portfolio as a reusable template for other students.
- Promote Google Antigravity as a UI/UX accessibility tool for developers without design backgrounds.
Call to Action
Seriously—click the AI Playground button on the live site, ask it something, and see the AI respond in real time. That’s my work running directly in your browser.
If you have questions, suggestions, or want to collaborate on building without breaking the bank, feel free to leave a comment.
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