Build and Deploy a Stunning Portfolio Website with ChatGPT for Free: A Beginner's Guide

Introduction

Creating a website from scratch can seem challenging, especially if you're not an experienced developer.

But what if I told you that you can create and deploy a fully functional HTML website for free, even if you don’t have advanced coding skills?

It's helpful to have some basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. But don’t worry if you're not familiar with these languages.

This guide is 100% for beginners. We’ll show you step-by-step how to build your website using powerful AI tools like ChatGPT.

Our detailed instructions will ensure you can follow along, no matter your experience, and you won’t need to spend any money.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Beautiful Portfolio Website Using ChatGPT

In this guide, we will walk you through the process of building a beautiful and functional portfolio website.

A portfolio website is a great way to showcase your projects, skills, and experience. It’s perfect for developers, designers, and freelancers.

Whether you're looking to attract potential clients, impress future employers, or simply establish an online presence, this guide will help you achieve that.

Without a clear target audience, your portfolio might miss the mark. Leverage AI for in-depth audience research to gain a strategic advantage. Understand your ideal clients or employers inside and out, and then craft website content that resonates perfectly with them.

Once you have this clear understanding, we will utilize AI tools like ChatGPT to generate the necessary HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code to bring your professional portfolio website to life.

We’ll also cover how to deploy your website for free, ensuring it’s accessible to everyone.

Setting Up Your Development Environment for your Website

Before we dive into the actual coding, let's set up your development environment.

This includes installing the necessary tools and preparing your workspace.

1. Install a Code Editor

code editor is essential for writing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Popular options include:

• Visual Studio Code
• Sublime Text
• Atom

However, if you prefer not to install additional software, you can simply use Notepad, which is pre-installed on most Windows computers.

While Notepad is more basic, it still allows you to write and edit your code effectively.

2. Set Up Your Project Directory

Start by creating a new directory (or folder) on your computer where you'll store all the files for your website. This will help keep your project organized and easy to manage.

• 1. Create a New Project Folder
  Create a Folder: Right-click on your desktop or in a location where you want to save your project. Rename the Folder: Give your folder a meaningful name, like Portfolio Website.
• 2. Open the Folder in VS Code
• To start working on your website, you'll use Visual Studio Code (VS Code) as your code editor.

Open VS Code: Right-click on the newly created folder and select “Open with Code” (this will open VS Code directly in the folder).

3. Create a New HTML File

In VS Code:

• Create a New File: Click on the File menu, then select New File or use the shortcut Ctrl + N.
• Paste the HTML Code: Copy the HTML code provided by the AI tool and paste it into the new file in VS Code.
• Save the File: Save the file by pressing Ctrl + S. You can name your file index.html or any other name you prefer.

3. Generating the HTML Code with ChatGPT

To build your portfolio website, we’ll use a prompt to generate the HTML code.

For the best results, we recommend using Merlin AI and switching to GPT-4. Merlin AI can provide you with better results, ensuring a polished portfolio.

Merlin is not just for building websites; it's a whole productivity powerhouse that supercharges everything from content creation to research and project management, making it your essential tool for maximum efficiency.

Before you proceed, make sure to replace all placeholders indicated by brackets [ ] with your relevant information.

For example, in the homepage section, insert your background image or video link where indicated. Also, include your name, age, profession, and a brief introduction about yourself.

Customize each placeholder to reflect your unique content and skills.

Create a stunning, fully functional, and beautiful portfolio website using a single HTML file. Ensure that the website is responsive and visually appealing, with detailed styling instructions for each section. Use the brackets [ ] to indicate where users should input their own information. Use #007bff as the secondary color for buttons, skill bars, and hover effects. Apply a light dark background with light white text. Add box shadows, border-radius, and other elements to enhance the visual appeal where needed. Ensure that the navbar is beautiful, fixed, and styled with minimal gaps between elements.

1. Navbar:
   • Include a horizontal, fixed navbar at the top of the page.
   • Navbar items: Home, About, Skills, Projects, Contact.
   • Style:
     • Use a dark gray background color with white text.
     • Use flexbox to center the navbar items horizontally with minimal gaps between them.
     • Apply a subtle box shadow for depth and a border-radius for rounded corners.
     • Add a hover effect using #007bff for a modern look.
     • Ensure the navbar is responsive and adjusts for different screen sizes.
2. Homepage:
   • Center all information on the page.
   • Hero section with a captivating background image or video:
     • Background Image/Video: [Enter your background image or video link here]
   • Central introduction with:
     • Name: [Enter your name]
     • Age: [Enter your age]
     • Profession: [Enter your profession]
     • Short Info: [Enter a brief introduction about yourself]
   • Call-to-action button linking to the About page.
   • Style:
     • Use a light dark background color for the section.
     • Apply a soft box shadow to the central content area.
     • Ensure the text is light white for contrast and readability.
     • Use border-radius on buttons and apply a hover effect using #007bff.
3. About Page:
   • Layout with a large image on the right side:
     • [Upload your large photo here]
   • Brief biography on the left side with placeholders:
     • [Enter your brief biography here]
   • Style:
     • Container: Use a flexbox layout (display: flex; and flex-wrap: wrap;) for responsiveness.
     • Image: Set flex: 1; for the image container with a max-width (e.g., max-width: 400px;) to maintain proportions.
     • Biography: Set flex: 2; for the text container to balance with the image size.
     • Background: Light dark background color with light white text for readability.
     • Box Shadows and Border Radius: Add a subtle box shadow to both the image and text containers. Use border-radius to soften edges.
     • Spacing: Add padding and margin for clear separation. Use media queries to adjust the layout for mobile screens, stacking the image and text vertically if needed.
4. Skills Page:
   • Display key skills using skill bars with different expertise percentages.
   • Example Skills:
     • Skill A: [Enter skill name] - Expertise: [75%]
     • Skill B: [Enter skill name] - Expertise: [85%]
     • Skill C: [Enter skill name] - Expertise: [90%]
   • Style:
     • Use visually distinct skill bars with a light dark background.
     • Apply a subtle box shadow and border-radius to the skill bars.
     • Add a hover effect using #007bff for interactivity.
5. Projects Page:
   • Display a list of project cards, each card containing:
     • Central Image: [Upload project image here]
     • Project Name: [Enter project name]
     • Short Description: [Enter a brief description of the project]
     • Technologies Used: [Enter technologies used]
     • Project Link: [Enter link to live demo or GitHub repository]
   • Example Projects:
     • Project 1: [Enter details]
     • Project 2: [Enter details]
     • Project 3: [Enter details]
   • Style:
     • Use cards with a light dark background and add box shadows for a lifted effect.
     • Center the images on each card and ensure the text is light white.
     • Apply border-radius to card corners and a hover effect using #007bff.
6. Footer:
   • Layout with three sections displayed horizontally using flexbox:
     • Contact Information: Email: [Enter your email], Phone Number: [Enter your phone number]
     • Social Media Links: LinkedIn: [Enter LinkedIn profile link], GitHub: [Enter GitHub profile link], Twitter: [Enter Twitter profile link]
     • Additional Information: [Enter any other relevant information]
   • Style:
     • Use a light dark background with light white text.
     • Apply flexbox layout to space out the footer sections horizontally (display: flex; and justify-content: space-between;).
     • Add box shadows to separate the footer content visually and use border-radius for rounded edges.

As you begin adding text content to your website, such as your "About Me" section or project descriptions, remember that ensuring its readability is crucial for engaging your visitors.

Fortunately, AI tools are available to help you quickly improve the clarity and flow of your website's text.

4. View Your Website in action

To see your website in action, you have a couple of options:

• Manual Preview: Locate the index.html file in your project folder and double-click on it. This will open the file in your default web browser.
• Live Server Extension (Recommended): To make development easier, install the Live Server extension in VS Code. This will automatically update and preview your website as you make changes.
  • Install Live Server: Open VS Code, go to the Extensions view by clicking the Extensions icon on the sidebar or pressing Ctrl + Shift + X, and search for "Live Server". Click Install on the Live Server extension by Ritwick Dey.
  • Open with Live Server: After installation, right-click on your index.html file in VS Code and select Open with Live Server. This will launch a local server and open your website in a new browser tab with live reload functionality.

5. Editing the Code to Match Your Style

After generating the initial HTML code for your portfolio website, you might find that some parts don’t perfectly match your vision or needs. Don’t worry! You can easily update and customize the code to better fit your style and preferences. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Identifying What to Change

First, review the generated code and identify any elements you want to modify. This could be anything from the layout, colors, text, or specific design features. For example, you might want to change the color scheme or adjust the layout of certain sections.

2. Updating the Prompt

To refine the output, you can update the prompt you used with ChatGPT or Merlin AI. Here’s an example of how to adjust your prompt to better suit your needs:

Original Prompt:

Create a stunning, fully functional, and beautiful portfolio website using a single HTML file. Ensure that the website is responsive and visually appealing, with detailed styling instructions for each section. Use the brackets [ ] to indicate where users should input their own information. Use #007bff as the secondary color for buttons, skill bars, and hover effects. Apply a light dark background with light white text. Add box shadows, border-radius, and other elements to enhance the visual appeal where needed. Ensure that the navbar is beautiful, fixed, and styled with minimal gaps between elements.

Updated Prompt Example:

Update the HTML code for my portfolio website. Change the secondary color from #007bff to #ff5733 for buttons, skill bars, and hover effects. Adjust the hero section to have a darker background color instead of the light dark color. Add a new section below the About page with client testimonials. Make sure the layout remains responsive and visually appealing. Use the brackets [ ] to indicate where users should input their own information.

Prompt for Changing Button Color:

Update the existing HTML code for my portfolio website. Change the button background color from #007bff to #ff5733. Ensure that the button styles are consistent throughout the website. Provide the updated CSS code.

Example: Adding a New Section:

If you want to add a new section, e.g, client testimonials section, use a prompt like this:

Add a new section for client testimonials below the About page in my portfolio website. The section should include a heading "Client Testimonials" and a few testimonial entries with placeholders for client quotes and names. Ensure the section has a similar style to the rest of the website, with a light dark background and white text. Provide the updated HTML code.

How TO Use Local Images in Your Website

To enhance your portfolio website with local images, follow these steps:

1. Add Images to Your Project Folder

• Place Your Images: Move or copy any images you want to use on your website directly into your project folder (e.g., MyPortfolioWebsite).

2. Reference Local Images in Your HTML Code

• Update Image Paths: When you want to use a local image in your HTML file, reference the image by its relative path.

Example:

If you have an image named profile.jpg directly inside the project folder, the HTML code to display it would look like this:

3. Ensure Images are Displayed Correctly

• Save and View: Save your changes by pressing Ctrl + S and then view your website using Live Server.
  • If you already have Live Server running, your browser should automatically refresh and display the updated content.
  • If not, click the "Go Live" button in the bottom-right corner of VS Code’s status bar to start Live Server.

4. Check the Image Extension

• Verify Image Format: Ensure you know the correct file extension (e.g., .jpg, .png) of your image.
  • Check Properties: Right-click on your image file and select Properties. Under the General tab, look for the Type of file field to see the extension (e.g., JPEG Image (.jpg), PNG Image (.png)).
• After you've successfully added standard images to your portfolio, take it a step further by considering visually compelling formats like infographics.
  • These can present your projects and skills in a highly engaging and easy-to-understand manner. What's even better is that AI tools are also available to help you create stunning infographic content for your site.

5. Testing Your Changes

After incorporating the updated code, test your website to ensure the new changes are correctly applied and that everything functions as expected.

Check the website’s appearance on various devices and browsers to confirm that the updates look good and are responsive.

Deploying Your Website with Netlify

Now that you have your portfolio website ready, it's time to deploy it online so everyone can access it.

Netlify offers a straightforward way to host your site for free. Follow these steps:

1. Create a Netlify Account

• Sign Up: Go to Netlify and sign up for a free account if you don’t already have one.
• Login: If you already have an account, log in.

2. Prepare Your Project for Deployment

• Ensure all your files, including index.html and any images or other assets, are inside your project folder (e.g., MyPortfolioWebsite).

3. Deploy Your Site on Netlify

• Start a New Site: On your Netlify dashboard, click the "Add new site" button, then select "Deploy manually".
• Deploy Manually: Click on "Deploy site" under the "Sites" section and drag and drop your project folder directly into the upload area.

4. Configure Site Settings

• Site Name: Netlify will automatically generate a random site name for you. You can change it to something more relevant by clicking on "Domain management" > Under Production Domain > Options >"Edit site name".
• Domain Settings: You can also set up a custom domain if you have one, or use the default Netlify subdomain.

5. Verify Deployment

• Access Your Site: Once the upload is complete, Netlify will process your files and deploy your site. You’ll receive a link to your live website (e.g., https://your-site-name.netlify.app).
• Check Everything: Visit the provided URL to ensure your website is live and working correctly.

By following this step-by-step guide, you now have a fully functional, visually appealing website that showcases your skills and projects.

Once your website is live, understanding how people are searching for professionals in your field is crucial. You can also use AI tools like ChatGPT to master keyword research and optimize your website content accordingly.

Will AI Replace Developers? Understanding Its Role in Coding

It’s important to remember that AI cannot replace the creative and problem-solving abilities of a developer.

The human touch in coding is irreplaceable.

However, AI tools are powerful allies. They can greatly boost your efficiency and creativity.

If you haven’t yet embraced AI in your coding work, now is the perfect time to start.

• AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement: Use AI to add to your skills. It can make your workflow smoother and help you solve coding challenges faster.
• Boost Your Workflow: Those who add AI to their development will work faster and better. They will stay ahead in a fast-changing tech world.

The Power of Prompt Engineering

Mastering prompt engineering is key to making the most of AI tools. By learning how to craft precise and effective prompts, you can guide AI to deliver exactly what you need:

• Get What You Need Faster: Clear and well-designed prompts lead to more accurate and useful outputs from AI, saving you time and effort.
• Adapt to Your Needs: Customize prompts for your project needs. This makes AI a strong tool for development.
• Stay Ahead: Embrace AI as a partner in your coding journey. The more you practice and refine your prompt engineering skills, the more adept you’ll become at leveraging AI to enhance your productivity and creativity.

Conclusion

As we wrap up this guide, remember that AI-powered web development isn't just about coding faster—it's about expanding what's possible for beginners and professionals alike.

By leveraging tools like ChatGPT, you've learned how to create a beautiful portfolio website without spending a dime or needing extensive coding knowledge.

From setting up your development environment to deploying your site on Netlify, you now have the skills to showcase your work professionally online.

While AI enhances your workflow tremendously, the human touch remains irreplaceable in web development.

The key is finding the right balance—using AI as your collaborative partner while applying your unique creativity and problem-solving abilities.

As you continue your web development journey, experiment with prompt engineering to get even better results from AI tools.

Your portfolio website is just the beginning of what you can accomplish with this powerful combination.

After launching your stunning portfolio website, take your self-promotion further by creating engaging video presentations of your projects. AI can assist with both compelling scriptwriting and visually stunning video creation, a topic we'll cover in our next article.

Here is the screenshot of the portfolio website created using the prompt provided: