Introduction

Gatsby's Clean Portfolio Starter is an official boilerplate designed for creating sleek and professional portfolio websites using Gatsby.js. This starter kit provides a clean, minimalist foundation that allows developers and designers to quickly set up and customize a portfolio site. It leverages Gatsby's powerful features to ensure fast performance and optimal user experience.

Main Features

1. Clean and minimalist design
2. Fast performance using Gatsby's optimization techniques
3. React-based component structure
4. GraphQL for efficient data querying
5. Customizable configuration through gatsby-config.js
6. Prettier integration for consistent code formatting
7. Responsive layout for various screen sizes
8. Easy-to-modify sections for projects, skills, and personal information

Installation Steps

1. Ensure you have Gatsby CLI installed:

   npm install -g gatsby-cli
   

2. Create a new Gatsby site using this starter:

   gatsby new my-portfolio-starter https://github.com/ugglr/gatsby-clean-portfolio
   

3. Navigate to your new site's directory:

   cd my-portfolio-starter
   

4. Start the development server:

   gatsby develop
   

Usage Instructions

1. Customizing Content:

   • Edit the content in src/pages/index.js to update the main page.
   • Modify components in the src/components directory to change layout and structure.

2. Adding Projects:

   • Update the projects section by editing the relevant component in src/components.

3. Styling:

   • Customize styles by modifying CSS files in the src directory.

4. Data Management:

   • Use GraphQL queries to manage and display data efficiently.
   • Experiment with queries using the GraphQL tool at http://localhost:8000/___graphql.

5. Configuration:

   • Adjust site metadata and plugins in gatsby-config.js.

6. Adding Pages:

   • Create new pages by adding React components in the src/pages directory.

7. Building for Production:

   • Run gatsby build to create an optimized production build.
   • Use gatsby serve to preview the production build locally.

8. Deployment:

   • Deploy your portfolio to platforms like Netlify, Vercel, or GitHub Pages.
   • Follow Gatsby's deployment guides for specific hosting platforms.

Important Notes

1. Regularly update dependencies to ensure you have the latest features and security patches.

2. Optimize images and assets to maintain fast loading times.

3. Customize the color scheme and typography to match your personal brand.

4. Ensure your portfolio is mobile-responsive by testing on various devices.

5. Use semantic HTML to improve SEO and accessibility.

6. Implement proper meta tags and descriptions for better search engine visibility.

7. Consider adding a blog section to showcase your writing and expertise.

8. Integrate analytics to track visitor engagement and improve your portfolio over time.

9. Keep your project showcases up-to-date with your latest work.

10. Test your site thoroughly before deploying to ensure all links and features work correctly.