My Portfolio Got a Glow-Up
Source: Dev.to
This is a submission for the New Year, New You Portfolio Challenge Presented by Google AI.
About Me
Hello everyone, I’m Rachit Khurana, a Full Stack Developer who loves building things that live on the internet. Currently, I’m an Intern at Hyathi Technologies where I work on cutting‑edge cloud solutions, and I’m also the creator of BossAI — a productivity app that helps users work smarter.
I’m passionate about crafting scalable web applications and exploring new technologies. My journey spans frontend frameworks like React and Next.js to backend technologies like Django, FastAPI, and Golang. I live by the philosophy of “FAFO”, constantly experimenting and learning by doing.
Portfolio
How I Built It
(No additional details provided.)
Tech Stack
This portfolio is built with a modern, performance‑focused tech stack:
- Framework: TanStack Start with React 19 — for blazing‑fast SSR and seamless routing
- Styling: TailwindCSS 4.0 — utility‑first styling
- Animations: Framer Motion + GSAP — smooth, cinematic animations
- 3D Graphics: Three.js with @react-three/fiber — interactive 3D elements
- Smooth Scrolling: Lenis — butter‑smooth scroll experiences
- Typography: Outfit, Space Grotesk, and Syne from Google Fonts
- Deployment: Google Cloud Run — scalable, containerized hosting
The entire codebase is open source — check it out on GitHub!
Development Process
I previously built a portfolio with Next.js (see it here), but I wanted a completely fresh, ground‑up redesign. I fed my old portfolio to Gemini 3 Pro in the Antigravity IDE with this prompt:
“This is my portfolio. Change it fully. Make it look modern, and unique yet minimalistic. Make it as unique as possible. I don’t want it to look vibe coded. It should feel like a professional company designed it. Feel free to use any third‑party tools/libraries. Also make it from scratch. I don’t wanna use Next.js at all now. Rebuild it using TanStack Start.”
From there, everything was built through iterative prompting. I explored multiple aesthetics and design directions with Gemini—trying different color schemes, animation styles, and layouts—until I landed on a sci‑fi‑inspired, holographic design that felt just right.
The AI assistance was especially helpful for:
- Generating complex CSS animations and transitions
- Implementing parallax effects and smooth scrolling behavior
- Debugging tricky edge cases in responsive design
The workflow was incredibly efficient: I described what I wanted, Gemini implemented it, and we refined the result together until it matched my vision.
What I’m Most Proud Of
Modern, Minimalist Design
I’m really proud of the modern aesthetic achieved with this portfolio. The design combines:
- Holographic elements: a cyberpunk‑inspired glass container for the profile picture, with animated borders, scanline effects, and floating animation
- Aurora backgrounds: subtle, animated gradient backgrounds that add depth without distraction
- Glass morphism: frosted‑glass effects throughout for a premium feel
- Smooth micro‑animations: polished transitions on every interaction
Hidden Easter Eggs
One of the most fun parts of building this portfolio was adding multiple hidden easter eggs throughout the site. With Gemini’s help, I quickly implemented several surprises that reward curious visitors who explore and interact with the site.
I won’t spoil the fun by revealing them all here—visit the portfolio and try to find them yourself! Some involve keyboard interactions, some require patience, and others are hidden in plain sight. Happy hunting!