What to Include in Your Developer Portfolio (With Examples)

Knowing what to include in your developer portfolio can be overwhelming. This complete checklist covers everything you need, with examples from developers who successfully used their portfolios to land jobs at top companies.

Essential elements of a strong portfolio

Start with a clear, professional introduction that states who you are, what you do, and what you're looking for. Include 3-6 projects with detailed case studies covering the problem, your approach, the tech stack, challenges, and results. Add links to your GitHub, LinkedIn, and any published work or talks.

Writing compelling project case studies

For each project, explain: what problem you were solving, why you chose your technical approach, how you implemented it, what challenges you faced and how you overcame them, and what results you achieved. Include screenshots or links to live demos. A good case study should make someone feel like they understand your thinking process.