Hello World — Building My New Portfolio
A look at the tech stack, design decisions, and what I learned rebuilding my portfolio from the ground up with Astro, React, and GSAP.
Why Rebuild?
My previous portfolio served me well, but it was time for something that better reflected where I am as a developer. I wanted a site that was:
- Fast — near-zero JavaScript by default
- Modern — smooth animations, dark mode, premium feel
- Minimal — let the work speak, not the UI chrome
The Stack
I went with Astro 5 for its islands architecture — it ships zero JS by default and only hydrates the components that actually need interactivity. For animations, I chose GSAP over Framer Motion to avoid shipping the React runtime just for scroll effects.
// GSAP in Astro — no hydration cost
gsap.fromTo('.hero-title',
{ y: 40, opacity: 0 },
{ y: 0, opacity: 1, duration: 0.8, ease: 'power3.out' }
);The design takes inspiration from automotive brands like BMW M Division — sharp typography, generous whitespace, and a restrained color palette with strategic accent pops.
What’s Next
I’ll be writing more about web performance, Linux workflows, and the occasional deep-dive into whatever I’m building. Stay tuned.
Thanks for reading. If you want to chat about any of this, hit me up.