I built a zero-dependency portfolio template — here's what I learned

Sigma Hunter
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:38:32 GMT
webdev, opensource, portfolio, github

Most portfolio templates come with React, Next.js, or at least a build step. I wanted something different: a template that designers can actually understand and modify without touching a terminal (beyond the initial setup). So I built one from scratch. 300KB. Zero dependencies. Vanilla everything. Why vanilla? I'm a product designer who codes. My own portfolio (diyor.design) runs on plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. When I decided to turn it into a template, I had a choice: rewrite it in a framework, or keep it simple. I kept it simple. Here's why: Designers can read it. No JSX, no components, no state management. Just HTML files you can open in a browser. No build step. Edit a file, refresh the browser. Done. It'll work in 10 years. No deprecated packages, no breaking updates, no npm audit warnings. 300KB total. The entire template. Not the JavaScript bundle — the whole thing. What's inside Bilingual support — Russian and English with a language switcher. Easy to adapt for any two lang