If you’re wondering whether a portfolio is still worth building in the AI era, my answer is still a very loud yes.
This version of mine was built with v0 and Vercel, and the process reminded me why portfolio sites are still one of my favourite projects: they help you reflect, ship, and exist on the internet outside of social media.
I recently celebrated 8 months at Vercel, and one of the biggest highlights has been watching v0 evolve while supporting the community building with it. Eventually, I wanted to use it myself from idea to final product, and my portfolio felt like the perfect excuse.
In short
Yes, a portfolio is still worth building in the AI era. Mine helped me create a home on the internet, move quickly with v0, and still leave room to refine the final details locally.
- Portfolio sites are still worth building because they showcase your work and give you a home on the internet.
- v0 helped me go from idea to working site quickly, then I refined the final details locally.
- Every version of my portfolio reflects the season of tech and creativity I’m in.
#Why refresh a portfolio at all?
After a Vercel Community session with Flo (thanks Riz for suggesting!), I felt the urge to build something on v0 from idea to final product.
What better project than my portfolio site? It had been sitting in my personal backlog for a while, waiting for an upgrade.
Over the years, my portfolio has gone through multiple iterations. I even rebuilt it with Next.js back in 2020, which earned me a Vercel mug at the time.
Portfolio sites are one of my favorite projects and something I recommend everyone build. Why?
- They’re a great way to reflect on your work and showcase your skills for opportunities. It’s your way of existing on the internet, outside of social media.
- They offer endless creative freedom. Your portfolio can look however you want it to!
With AI tools like v0, the only limit is your imagination.
Plus, I like to think that portfolios are never really finished. You can evolve them throughout your career to match your personal growth. ✨
My brand manager (aka my brother, Clark) once wrote about how my personal brand has evolved over time, and my portfolio has been a big part of that journey. It’s the same reason I’m always nudging people to build an online presence they actually own.
Pawlean VS Portfolio brand side-by-side
#Every version reflects a different era
Every version of my portfolio reflects whatever tech I’m interested in at the time. My last iteration was built with Framer because it was everywhere on my feeds.
It was the era I was curious about no-code solutions and wanted to experiment. Framer was great for that! I still think it’s a great tool and would recommend it to folks as an option but I was eager to try something new.
#Why I used v0 for this version
Using v0 was my first time vibe coding, and I have to say, I loved it. Eventually I got better at prompting, which as a result improved the outcome. As others have shared in the community, this seems to be the secret sauce when it comes to coding with AI.
There’s nothing like actually using the product you’re working on to fully appreciate the experience, uncover pain points, and share feedback with the team.
My new portfolio is 80% built with v0.
I only switched to local development for the final 20% to refine the last details (MDR, anyone? IYKYK 😆).
Screenshot of paulinenarvas.com
I’m so proud of how it turned out. What a time to be alive!
Of course, there are still improvements I’d love to make, but this version is probably the best it’s ever been.
My favorite page has to be story timeline. I still use it as my single source of truth whenever someone asks, “How’d you get into tech?” 😃 It’s also why I’m so bullish on having one place online that gathers your work, your story, and your weird little internet breadcrumbs together.
#Final thoughts
Let me know what you think → PaulineNarvas.com
If you're curious about building with v0, check out this community post on how to become a v0 expert. ✨