The Anthology of a Creative Developer: A 2026 Portfolio
Source: Dev.to
Introduction
This submission is for the New Year, New You Portfolio Challenge presented by Google AI. Most portfolios feel like a list of ingredients; for 2026 I wanted mine to be the complete meal.
I’m Nitish Kumar, an undergraduate engineering student and creative developer. I view code as another way of storytelling, so I ditched the typical “Hero‑About‑Projects” grid and built a narrative experience that reflects how I think, build, and observe the world.
🔗 Explore the story: https://nitishkr.fun
If this portfolio were a book, here’s how I bound the pages.
The Technical Spine
- Next.js (App Router) – the foundation that holds the chapters together.
- TypeScript – my editor, ensuring every “sentence” (and variable) makes sense.
- GSAP – the cinematography, adding subtle, intentional motion that guides the eye.
- Tailwind CSS – for the editorial aesthetic and spacing.
- Cloud Run – my printing press, keeping everything fast and accessible.
Editorial Vision
I treated the design like a high‑end magazine. Each section is a chapter:
Identity
The “Who” and the mindset.
The Workshop
Skills and tools presented as a craftsman’s kit.
The Lab
Projects showcased as experiments, not just finished products.
The Lens
Photography used as a reflection of how I observe UI/UX in the real world.
Google AI: The Creative Director
Google AI wasn’t a “generator” for me; it was a thinking partner. I used it to:
- Refine the copy – transitioning from dry technical descriptions to narrative‑driven prose.
- Accessibility review – ensuring the story remains readable for everyone.
- Logic soundboarding – brainstorming the best way to structure a chapter‑based layout.
- Story‑driven flow – making the site feel like a single, continuous conversation.
- Intentional dark mode – designed from the ground up to feel like a premium “night‑time” reading experience.
- Power of restraint – knowing when to stop adding features and start refining the white space.
- Photography integration – using photos as windows into my perspective as a designer.
Closing Thoughts
This portfolio is my way of proving that engineering is an art form. It’s about more than just shipping code; it’s about crafting experiences that linger.
Thanks for checking it out, and Happy New Year!