Step-by-Step Guide to Creating an Impressive GitHub Portfolio
Author: M. Mehdi
"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."
— Walt Disney
Before starting the in-depth guide, let's understand what actually portfolio means? A portfolio is a set of items that represnt a person's work, skills, oand the effort behind each project. For example, I am a software development engineer in test (SDET), and I test software using multiple software testing tools. Now here is what you can expect from my portfolio:
- End-to-End API Testing with Cypress
- Web Automation Testing with Selenium
- JMeter Performance Test Bed
Similarly, another person might be a mobile developer (both IOS & Android) and their portfolio may include following projects:
- Fitness and Heath App (IOS)
- E-commerce App (Android)
So, we have understand that your porfolio should contains the projects you worked on, or you may include sample projects as a part of your portfolio.
What is Github?
Github is basically a platform which provides space to save or upload your projects, including each & eveything related to them such as code, documents, graphs, and README files. GitHub is not just a repository; it's a collaboration hub where ideas turn into innovation. You can check here.
How to Start with Github
For starting Github please follow the steps below:
1. Create a GitHub Account
To create a GitHub account, go to the GitHub website and click on the 'sign up' button. You can also sign up using your Gmail account.
2. Set Up Your Profile
Choose a professional photo and upload it to GitHub. Then add a short bio to highlight your skills and interests. You can also add your contact information such as an email address or a link to your personal website if you have one.
3. Create a Repository
This is one of the core steps because your repository is essentially like a folder that contains the projects. The most important thing is to keep the repository public because you are going to represent your skills in front of other. __It is recommended that create separate repository for each project.
4. Upload Projects
Now in the repository that you have created, upload your project. There are two ways: one is to upload directly using the GitHub UI, and the other is to link the repository within your project using a compiler like Visual Studio Code, wherever you have it.
5. Organize Your Repository
To organize your repository, create folders for source code, documentation, assets, and tests. Use clear names for files and folders. Add a README file for project details and a license file for usage terms. Keep a consistent structure and up-to-date documentation. This makes your projects easy to navigate and understand.
6. Add Documentation
Apart from the README file, you should add some documentation about your uploaded project. Suppose, you have uploaded a project of an e-commerce website, then please add a description document which explains how someone can use or update the project. Documentation is like a map — it gives you a way to find your way around and shows you where you are going.
7. Use GitHub Pages
This is also a free feature provided by GitHub that allows you to create a personal website to showcase your skills and projects. The benefit of doing this is that you can also add about your volunteer experiences, certifications, hobbies, interests, and much more. This will definitely have positive impact on your professional profile.
Conclusion
Whatever is visible, sells. It doesn't matter that you have created your artificial Sun, what matters is whether the people know that you built a Sun. So, basically you have to present your work. So, start small and upload all of your work, whatever you have done, unless that work is private. Of course, you cannot show your private work. Upload your projects, organize them, add documentation, and create GitHub Pages. If you have any confusion, just go to the GitHub official documentation.
💡 Pro Tip: Upload your work regularly. Consistency is key to showcasing your growth and dedication!