The Ultimate Guide to Your Software Developer Portfolio: Tips, Examples, and More

Are you a front end developer, backend web developer, or web designer? If so, then read on. This guide covers the crucial elements of a software development portfolio, software developer portfolio examples, and examines what a software developer needs to be successful. 

What Is a Software Developer?

A software developer is a professional who uses coding to create computer software. There are many different professions in software development. For example, you can become a backend developer, front end developer, or full stack developer. 

As a software developer, you will use many skills. Software testing, backend development, layout design, and user experience (UX) design will be required. If you want to be a stand-out candidate, you must master these creative and technical skills. 

Do You Need a Software Developer Portfolio?

Yes, you need a software developer portfolio. A strong portfolio is a great way to showcase your professional experience, relevant skills, and innovative projects. It will also help you attract potential employees. You must cater your professional experience and portfolio projects to your specific career choice. 

For example, if you want to become a web developer make sure you add color scheme, web page design layouts, HTML, and front end development projects to your portfolio. If you want a career in backend development, customize your portfolio to show off software engineering skills like Python, .Net, Java, and Ruby projects. 

Elements of a Strong Software Developer Portfolio

Listed below are five crucial elements for your online portfolio. These will depend on the job requirements and industry-relevant skills. 

• Your professional information. Every professional portfolio must include contact details, educational background, professional experiences, a LinkedIn profile, and links to freelance projects. You should also list two or three professional references and their contact information.  
• Career summary. The next element in your software developer portfolio is a short bio. This should incorporate your career summary, professional certifications, services, and professional projects. Your bio is a great opportunity to present yourself as a competent and talented developer. Be sure to customize your bio to match the specific development position. 
• Software development skills. Another important element is your software development skills. You can add professional certifications or any online courses that highlight your programming and design skills in this section. You can also include any published blog posts regarding software development.
• Software development projects. Software development projects are the most important part of your portfolio. Be sure to add a wide variety of projects that cover backend, full stack, front end, and overall web development experience. If you are applying for a web designer position, your portfolio should emphasize previous projects relevant to the design, front end development, and web page layout. 
• Soft skills. Jobs within the software development industry demand multi-talented employees. You will need excellent interpersonal, decision-making, and communication skills. You can stand out by adding personal and professional project experiences that highlight those skills. 

How to Make a Software Developer Portfolio

Now that you know what elements go into making a strong software developer portfolio, it’s time to make your portfolio. We have five key steps for you, listed below.

1. Learn Software Development 

The first step for your software developer portfolio is to acquire in-demand development skills. Depending on your learning, financial, and scheduling preferences, there are several educational routes you can take to achieve this. You can attend top coding bootcamps or enroll in online software development courses.

If you are new to this field, a four-year bachelor’s degree in software development might be the best option for you.

2. Earn Professional Certifications 

The addition of professional certifications will enhance your software development portfolio. For example, depending on your career ambitions you can become an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Developer, a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, or a Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect. 

3. Research the Job Posting

Once you have acquired the necessary educational qualifications and additional certifications, it’s time to start looking for your dream development jobs. There are several types of development careers that a software development portfolio is apt for, so be sure to do extensive research into the job descriptions. 

You must find out what in-demand skills, educational qualifications, experience, and any other candidacy requirements have been set by the company. Cater your portfolio to suit these needs, and include with it a resume and cover letter. This step will show your potential employer your dedication and attention to detail. 

4. Add Projects 

The next step is to add software development projects to your portfolio. You can add app development, web development, visual design, software engineering, front end development, and backend development projects to your portfolio.

You can also add your school projects, freelance projects, or any passion projects you have done. There are tons of free development projects you can find on GitHub repositories to help build your portfolio.

5. Seamlessly Integrate all the Elements of Your Portfolio 

The final step in making a strong software development portfolio is to integrate all your projects, professional qualifications, and achievements. This is a great opportunity to highlight your UX design and front end development skills. This step will vary depending on your goals. If you are a freelance software developer make sure to include your services, past clients, and rates. 

Software Developer Portfolio Examples

Below, we’ve listed our top five software development portfolio examples. Use these examples as a guide when creating your portfolio. Don’t forget to customize your portfolio to match your professional and personal background. 

Brittany Chiang Software Developer Portfolio 

Brittany Chiang is a web developer, currently working with Upstatement. Her portfolio is apt for aspiring developers who want to break into the field of engineering, system security, and network administration. 

Best Parts of Brittany Chiang’s Software Developer Portfolio

• Chiang’s portfolio offers a seamless interface design and optimal user experience. As a web development professional, Chiang showcases her capabilities by presenting simple and easy-to-navigate sections. 
• Chiang shows her competence as a designer with the use of hyperlinks without crowding her portfolio page. 
• The “where I’ve worked” section is a great way to learn about her professional experiences. Chiang does a good job of dividing her job duties and her skills in this section. 

Joe Rutland Software Development Portfolio 

For those who are interested in a web design, web development, or product design career, Joe Rutland’s portfolio is worth looking into. Rutland is a product team leader at WQA and has ample experience with Figma, Maze, HTML, Sketch, CSS, and InVision. This portfolio is a great guide for developers looking to make a more resume-oriented portfolio. Rutland’s portfolio links to his resume which further details his persona and professional skills. 

Best Parts of Joe Rutland’s Software Developer Portfolio

• Rutland’s portfolio includes a multitude of system design and development projects next to his selected work. Rutland has included a high volume of his work by compacting them. 
• Rutland’s portfolio links to her resume to provide all the necessary information for her clients. 
• Another great aspect of Rutland’s resume is the Persona section that seamlessly categorizes the professional summaries. The inclusion of the persona in the resume is a great display of his design skills. 

Matthew Williams Software Development Portfolio 

Matthew Williams is a full stack web developer who builds responsive, fast, intuitive, and dynamic websites. Williams currently works as a front-end developer at ChowNow and highlights HTML, Sketch, React, CSS, Angular, Ruby on Rails, and JavaScript as his best skills. This portfolio is a great source for aspiring web developers and designers. 

Best Parts of Matthew Williams’ Software Developer Portfolio

• The content diversity is one of the best parts of Williams’ portfolio. The portfolio includes ample projects with in-demand front end development technologies that include JavaScript, Ruby on Rails, and React.js. 
• The “About” section of Williams’ portfolio is concise and contains all the essential skills for the front end development and design industry. Williams has headers and descriptions of all the professional abilities in this section to make it clear and easy to understand.
• Williams’ portfolio also includes a blog section that covers industry-relevant posts showcasing Williams’ skills as a writer. 

Wokine Software Development Portfolio

Wokine’s software development portfolio is apt for developers looking to launch a startup firm. Wokine specializes in full stack web development and marketing. The agency lists its core values, projects, and a call to action section on its landing page. 

Best Parts of Wokine’s Software Developer Portfolio

• Wokine’s visual layout, color scheme, and aesthetics reflect a strong grasp of web design concepts. 
• Wokine’s UX and UI components convey their professional capabilities and showcase their strengths as a digital and creative design development agency.
• Wokine lists all its services and sub-services for its clients. Their design, mobile, development, and marketing services have been broken down into popular digital services. 
• Wokine’s landing page offers plenty of hyperlinks to previous work, Decathlon projects, and plenty of call to action buttons. These hyperlinks allow Wokine to include ample information without overcrowding the page. 

Yevgeniy Brikman Software Development Portfolio

Yevgeniy Brikman is the co-founder of Gruntwork, an author, and a software programmer. He offers software advice via blog posts that are found on his portfolio. His portfolio is an excellent resource for software developers looking to teach or write about software development.

Best Parts of Yevgeniy Brikman’s Software Developer Portfolio

• Brikman’s portfolio includes an in-depth “about” section that highlights his professional achievements and experiences clearly. 
• Brikman uses his portfolio to showcase his different abilities. Such as his writing, projects, speaking, and photos. These abilities have helped Birkman complete various professional projects. 
• Brikman’s portfolio links to GitHub Repository. This includes over 40 projects highlighting his coding and software engineering skills. Including a GitHub repository like this is essential to a software developer’s portfolio. 

Best Software Developer Portfolio Project Ideas

Below are five project ideas you can add to your software developer portfolio. Choose the projects that best complement your career goals. 

• Build a personal website. This project idea is aimed at software developers looking to test and improve their web design skills. Use your website to show off your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript skills. You can use the Dark Sky API to build a weather application and practice your abilities. 
• Build a mobile app using Quasar Framework. For those who want to venture into mobile development and web app development careers, this is a great project idea for you. There are a number of different ways to use Quasar to start building your own app.
• Develop a social media platform with Ning. This project idea will help you display your full stack development, web design, and front end development skills. You will develop your own social media platform using Ning’s analytics, user interface integration, JavaScript, and CSS features. Ning is a paid platform and this project idea is apt for those looking to launch a social media website using Ning’s marketing solutions. 
• Build an ecommerce platform. Another great full stack development project idea is to build an ecommerce website similar to Amazon and Airbnb. In this project, you will design and develop a homepage, landing page, and product details page. You will also include a payment and checkout option on your website. 
• Build a survey questionnaire. If you are new to web development, this project idea is for you. You will use your HTML and front end design skills to build a survey questionnaire with whatever variables you like, such as name, contact, or age. 

Software Developer Portfolio FAQ