Every developer aims to be the best in the space and looks forward to building amazing projects or getting hired by the best companies or projects.
As good as this dream sounds, imagine competing with thousands of already existing developers or intending developers who are also skilled.
What can you do differently to stay afloat in this highly complex and competitive industry as a Developer? In this article, we will unravel the steps and strategies you can employ to boost your portfolio and stand out amongst others.
As a beginner in blockchain development, you're likely competing with others with similar abilities. To stand out, developing a strong and unique portfolio is essential. If you can't set yourself apart as the go-to person for something specific, you'll need to leverage your unique strengths and areas of expertise.
A great resume and cover letter are an excellent way to pitch your skills and achievements to an employee. Getting your ideal job as a developer goes beyond just a detailed copy of your resume. You need more proof of work to compel your employer and audience on your expertise level. This is achievable if you employ a well-structured portfolio.
WHO IS A WEB3 DEVELOPER?
A Web3 developer is a trained programmer and software engineer who creates applications running on decentralized networks, such as blockchain platforms. These developers build decentralized applications (dApps) using smart contracts and blockchain technology rather than traditional centralized servers. They are proficient at writing codes, building user-friendly websites and functional Web applications for blockchain projects, testing new applications, or monitoring website performance and traffic.
Web3 developers write codes in computer languages like Solidity (for Ethereum) or Rust (for Solana) to build self-executing contracts.
To become a Web3 developer, you need expert training and an understanding of blockchains and decentralized ledgers like Ethereum, Solana, or Binance smart chain. A Web3 developer must also know cryptographic principles for secure data transfer and management of digital assets like cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Web3 developers also need to integrate decentralized applications with standard Web technologies such as JavaScript, React, or Node.js.
WHY YOU NEED TO GET A PORTFOLIO AS A WEB3 DEVELOPER
In the competitive world of software development, having a rich, well-crafted portfolio can be the key to unlocking new career opportunities. Whether you are just starting your career, a self-taught developer, or a seasoned professional looking to elevate your profile, a portfolio is often your most valuable asset. It provides a window into your skills, problem-solving abilities, and work ethic.
A portfolio is an essential tool for developers. It offers your employer and potential clients a broader view of your practical skills and experience. Unlike a resume which primarily lists qualifications and job history, a portfolio provides tangible evidence of your abilities. Through personal projects, professional work, or contributions to open-source, a portfolio demonstrates a developer’s competency in specific technologies, frameworks, and problem-solving skills.
Your portfolio site is your designated area on the internet where you can show off an insight into your work and how well they were rendered. A good portfolio increases your chances of being hired and visibility to the public and prospective employers, making a lasting impression on potential employers or collaborators.
Other reasons why you need to set up a good portfolio as a Web developer include but are not limited to;
Standing Out: A great portfolio increases your chances of showing off your skills and allows viewers to easily ascertain the level of knowledge and experience you have gathered so far. This further distinguishes you from someone who barely updates their portfolio or owns one.
Demonstrating Expertise: It is often said, “A Jack of all trades is a master of none.” When it comes to portfolio creation and evaluation, a great deal of expertise is being shown to the general public, which proves your degree of mastery in your field.
Anyone and everyone who comes across the jobs you have had and successfully executed would decipher the expert level and experience sewn into building and updating your portfolio to whatever level it's at.
Fostering Credibility: Building trust and credibility seems to take a tough toil in a world where trends constantly evolve and improve. Given this, recruiters or employers tend to rely on evidence-based portfolios to decide whether or not they should have you on their team or project. If your portfolio is impressive enough, the jobs done and displayed on the profile might be the ticket you need to land that job.
Branding: Alongside the fact that a portfolio shows off your niche and focuses on the jobs and works you have done while exploring more opportunities and avenues to build and improve on your work, a portfolio also serves as a personal branding ideology. People get to see what you can do and know you for what you can do because you put your mind out there, and everyone can see how well you have grown. Here's a well-branded developer portfolio.
A developer’s portfolio is also a living document that can be continuously updated. As new projects are completed or skills are acquired, the portfolio evolves, allowing developers to track their growth over time. This process of regular updates not only keeps their portfolio relevant but also encourages continuous learning and improvement. Ultimately, a portfolio is more than a showcase—it's a developer’s professional narrative, proving their capabilities.
A great portfolio goes beyond listing skills and technologies—it shows real projects that demonstrate your proficiency, creativity, and professionalism.
8 STEPS TO BUILDING A RICH PORTFOLIO AS A WEB3 DEVELOPER
As a developer, Your portfolio can make or mar your chances of showcasing your skills and securing your dream job.
Anyone can create a portfolio, but how would it work for you?
Here are 8 steps you must consider when setting up a portfolio as a developer. Whether you're a web developer, mobile app developer, or software engineer, your portfolio is a living resume demonstrating your abilities, creativity, and problem-solving approach.
STEP 1: Choose The Right Platform:
There are diverse means to host your portfolio, keeping in mind your target audience or reasons for putting up the portfolio. Your choice of platform will affect how you present your work and how people view you from your profile.
Here are a few options: As a blockchain developer, you could decide to host your portfolio on a personal website or a GitHub.
Personal Website;. A personal website, as the name implies, is a unique profile created by the developer to give you complete control of your content, showcasing your strengths, weaknesses, milestones, works, and other personalized details about yourself. Get your URL, create a custom design, organize your projects, and demonstrate your Web development skills.
Build a personal website highlighting your projects, contributions, and contact info. Use platforms like ENS (Ethereum Name Service) for your website or wallet to integrate with Web3 identity solutions—network on platforms like Twitter, GitHub, and LinkedIn to connect with the Web3 community.
Your portfolio should offer a seamless user experience. Ensure your portfolio is easy to navigate, loads quickly, and is mobile-friendly. A well-organized portfolio demonstrates attention to detail and your ability to deliver a positive user experience.
GitHub Pages: Unlike the personal website where only the creator can add or edit information, GitHub, a code repository that hosts source code for tutorials, new features, and bug patches, allows anyone to submit their code solutions there. Though many users utilize it as a project management tool, you can also consider GitHub a venue to showcase your creations, even work-in-progress, to the right audiences while building your resume.
Contribute to significant blockchain platforms (e.g., Ethereum, Solana, Polkadot) or DeFi projects by submitting pull requests, bug fixes, or new features. Fork popular repositories and demonstrate improvements or optimizations. Host your projects on GitHub, showcasing your ability to work within decentralized environments.
STEP 2: Curate Your Best Work
You're looking to build a portfolio that performs several functions simultaneously, from documenting your process to creating an evidence-based profile to show off your experience and expertise and attracting the right audience and prospective clients or employers. It is logical to say your portfolio should highlight the quality of your work, not just the quantity.
Write smart contracts for different use cases such as token creation (ERC-20, ERC-721, etc.), staking contracts, or automated market makers (AMMs). Ensure you include code for audits and security practices in your portfolio to showcase your understanding of Web3 security risks. Highlight projects where you’ve built contracts that have been deployed and used by others.
STEP 3: Create Personal Projects
You don't need a lot of experience or expertise as a developer to be able to create a portfolio for yourself. If you're a newbie or just starting as a developer and need to pitch to projects to grow, it's ideal for creating personal projects. Solve problems or contribute to other developers' works on GitHub, and document your process effectively.
Creating personal projects shows employees that you know what you are doing and would make a great addition to their team or project. Develop your DApps using Web3 technologies such as Solidity for Ethereum, Rust for Solana, or Cadence for Flow. To stay relevant, focus on use cases like NFTs, decentralized finance (DeFi), DAOs, or gaming. Deploy DApps on testnets or mainnets and provide a working demo link in your portfolio.
STEP 4: Showcase A Variety Of Skills
A famous saying goes, “If you can't beat them, you join them.” Employers look for versatile developers who can handle a wide range of tasks in the competitive developer economy. While building your portfolio, let it reflect your versatility, and you won't go unnoticed. How can you achieve that? By including projects that demonstrate different skill sets.
For example, the front-end includes user-friendly interfaces, responsive design, CSS frameworks like Bootstrap, and JavaScript libraries like React or Vue.js.
Back-end: Databases, API development, Node.js, Express, or Django.
Full-stack: Complete web applications that incorporate both front-end and back-end functionalities. If you have experience with version control (such as Git), automated testing, or CI/CD pipelines, it should be well-detailed and included in your profile.
Write technical blogs on platforms like Medium, Dev. to, or Mirror about your experiences, challenges, or Web3 trends. Create video tutorials or screencasts on how to build Web3 projects. Sharing your knowledge strengthens your portfolio and builds credibility in the Web3 community.
STEP 5: Write Case Studies
One of the characteristics an employer looks for when recruiting is a skilled or experienced developer who can do the work and solve the problems they are presenting. Each project in your portfolio should come with a detailed case study that explains the problem you were solving, your approach to the solution, and the tools or technologies you used. Highlight the challenges you encountered and how you overcame them. Employers appreciate seeing your thought process and problem-solving abilities. Use screenshots, diagrams, or videos to enhance your case studies visually.
STEP 6: Proper Documentation
The entire process of building a rich portfolio as a developer is to ensure that your progress and experience as a developer are on track and well documented.
Your portfolio is more than just a showcase of finished products; it’s also an opportunity to display your coding habits. Make sure your codes are clean, well-structured, and thoroughly documented. Employers and clients will often look at the code repositories of your projects to assess your coding style and attention to detail. Write meaningful commit messages and follow industry best practices, like using consistent naming conventions and proper indentation
STEP 7: Referencing and Feedback
Including references and testimonies or feedback from your clients or previous employers doesn't only help you create an image of how well you've worked or how impressive your jobs have been. Still, it also reflects as a mirror of your work ethic and professionalism on your prospective employers. Include testimonials or references if you’ve done freelance work, people you had worked with or for, internships, or collaborated on open-source projects.
Positive feedback from previous clients or team members can add credibility to your portfolio and show you’re a reliable and professional developer.
STEP 8: Stay Updated
The tech world evolves rapidly, with every new quarter or era presenting new trends; you and your portfolio should keep pace. Make a habit of updating yourself regularly and connecting with more devs, new projects, skills, or technologies. Every update shows potential employers that you’re proactive and constantly improving your skills. This also helps keep your portfolio fresh and relevant to the job market.
Showcase your proficiency with popular tools like Hardhat, Truffle, Remix, Web3.js, Ethers.js, and frameworks like The Graph. Familiarise yourself with Layer 2 solutions (e.g., Optimism, Arbitrum) and highlight any work related to scalability improvements.
Enter well-known Web3 hackathons (e.g., ETHGlobal, Solana Hackathons, Chainlink Hackathons) and build teams to work on innovative projects. You can create popular blockchain protocols on our hackathon platform, Tech Fiesta. If you don’t win, list your submissions and describe your role, technical challenges, and solutions in your portfolio.
TOP 5 PORTFOLIO TEMPLATES FOR WEB3 DEVELOPERS
Every Web3 developer aims to create the perfect portfolio that features their best work and showcases their skill set and experiences effortlessly. Save yourself some hours using portfolio website templates to clone, edit, construct, and customise your portfolio to your liking and to attract employers.
Whether you're a new Web3 developer just starting and looking for the best templates to set up their portfolio or job hunt or you're a seasoned developer who wants a portfolio to help document and showcase their achievements and search for jobs, these five portfolio templates for web3 developers help you get started with minimal effort and time.
1. Next.js Portfolio Starter by Vercel
It is a pre-built or starter template for constructing Web applications utilizing the Next.js framework. Next.js, made by Vercel, is an in-demand open-source React framework that empowers developers to create server-rendered React applications with simplicity. It offers features like static site generation and server-side rendering.
Here's a YouTube tutorial on how to customize your portfolio using the Next.js Portfolio started; https://youtu.be/Kb1f5bvF6f4?si=9kXT1KgBHjIjanro
2. Slick Portfolio by Svelte
This is another portfolio website or template built using Svelte, a modern JavaScript framework known for its speed, lightweight nature, and highly efficient rendering capabilities. Svelte compiles your code to optimize JavaScript at build time, making it faster than traditional frameworks that rely on a virtual DOM, like React or Vue.
To clone or reference the template, use the link here
3. React Portfolio Template
If you're an aesthetic web3 developer looking for a template that typically features a clean, sleek, and modern design, focusing on aesthetics and functionality to make your work stand out, the React portfolio template might just be your best bet.
The React Portfolio Template by Shaquille Ndunda is a pre-designed, customizable portfolio template built using React, a popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces. Shaquille Ndunda, a developer known for creating web templates, designed this portfolio to help developers, designers, and other professionals showcase their work, skills, and projects effectively.
Get the template here and get started.
4. Whosbl33h
Don't build a boring portfolio! The key components of a rich portfolio lie in your ability to show off your skills and experience while captivating your employer and anyone going through your portfolio.
Whosbl33h by Sara Echeverría is a stylish React-based portfolio template designed for developers and creatives. It offers a modern, clean design with responsive layouts, interactive animations, and easy customization. Features sections for projects, skills, about, and contact, it's ideal for showcasing personal work in a visually engaging way.
Get the template here, play around with colors and animations, and give your portfolio a lively view.
5. Astro Boilerplate by Remi Wg
Astro Boilerplate by Remi Wg is a pre-configured starter template built for developing websites using Astro, a modern static site generator focused on speed and performance.
It’s user-friendly enough for beginners but powerful and flexible for seasoned developers who want to save time on boilerplate code.
Make a copy of this project and use it to create your own Astro blog using this link https://github.com/ixartz/Astro-boilerplate
You can check the Astro templates demo here
FAQs
What should I include in my Web3 developer portfolio?
The ideal details of what to add depend on the expertise, experience, and qualifications acquired. Other than the basic personal information, here are relevant details to include in your portfolios.
Smart Contracts: Showcase smart contracts you've built using platforms like Ethereum, Solana, or Binance Smart Chain. Include the code and deployment details.
DAPPs(Decentralised Applications): Include screenshots, demos, and links to working projects and DAPPs you created that interact with smart contracts.
Open Source Contributions: Add links to open-source blockchain projects on GitHub to which you contributed. It helps showcase your collaborative skills and knowledge of decentralized technology.
Technologies and Frameworks: List Web3-relevant tools and languages, such as Solidity, Rust, Hardhat, Truffle, Web3.js, Ethers.js, and IPFS.
NFT or DeFi Projects: Highlight any work with NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) or DeFi (Decentralised Finance), including smart contracts or full-fledged applications.
Blog Posts or Tutorials: Include blog posts or tutorials you’ve written to demonstrate your understanding of Web3 concepts.
What platforms should I use to host my portfolio?
GitHub/GitLab: Host your code on GitHub or GitLab, with detailed README files explaining your projects.
Personal Website: Build a personal portfolio website to showcase your projects, achievements, and blog posts.
LinkedIn and Twitter: Maintain active profiles where you discuss Web3 trends, share project updates, and connect with other developers.
Should I focus on specific blockchain networks?
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Jack of all trades, master of none”? One might say it applies to building your portfolio. Choose one or two significant blockchains to specialize in, such as Ethereum, Solana, or Binance Smart Chain. Specializing in specific networks can give you a competitive advantage. While focusing on one chain, understanding cross-chain technologies like bridges or Layer 2 scaling solutions (e.g., Polygon) will increase your versatility.
What are the best practices for maintaining my portfolio?
Imagine applying for your dream job and attaching your portfolio to the application only to realize that the links are broken and your employer might never be able to access and assess your portfolio. These are some common mistakes Web3 developers make.
Regularly review your portfolio and update content to ensure all links and demos are functional. This is an effective way to ensure your portfolio is constantly updated, and all links are clickable.
Should I use visuals, and what types?
Yes, visuals are essential for engaging visitors. Screenshots, infographics, and diagrams illustrate project workflows, architecture, or results. Video walkthroughs or demos can also enhance engagement. Use relevant keywords in your project descriptions, titles, and metadata. Optimise image alt text and ensure your site loads quickly. A well-structured site can enhance visibility in search results.
Conclusion
Building a successful portfolio as a web3 developer takes time and effort, but it’s an investment that will pay off when applying for jobs. A well-curated portfolio showcases your technical skills and demonstrates your professionalism, creativity, and ability to solve complex problems.
You can build a dynamic and evolving portfolio by actively contributing to the Web3 ecosystem, engaging with the community, and staying updated on the latest developments.
With a solid and rich portfolio, you can significantly increase your chances of landing your dream job and maintaining a more credible employer and audience.
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. Stay tuned for more!
About EkoLance
EkoLance revolutionizes the future of work by empowering Web2 and blockchain professionals through its dual offerings. The first is an educational platform that provides quality and comprehensive training programs for upskilling in blockchain, ensuring that professionals are equipped with the latest industry knowledge and practical experience. We have a diverse community of over 10,000 blockchain professionals, including over 5000 Web3 developers proficient in Solidity and Rust.
The second offering is our talent platform, Tech Fiesta. It enables companies to launch hackathons, jobs, bounties, and onboard top-tier talent into their ecosystems, fostering innovation and growth. techFiesta has successfully organized over 50 online hackathons and developer challenges for major blockchain networks such as Gnosis chain, Celo, Solana, Concordium, etc.
For updates about our training and other essential developments within EkoLance, follow us on our social handles below.
LinkedIn: EkoLance
Twitter: EkoLance
Instagram: EkoLance
Facebook: EkoLance
Comments