What Happened?

So where did it go wrong? Unlike boilerplates like HTML5BP or 320andUp, Bootstrap was seen as a solution to the frontend from backend developers. Now backend devs didn’t need to know HTML/CSS or hire a frontend dev, they could simply use Bootstrap and everything would be taken care of. One could argue that in the venture capital world, a working prototype written in Bootstrap and Rails is worth more than half finished proof of concept built with custom CSS and Ember. But in the end, what have you learned from your prototype? Many times there is a lot you can learn from failing.

Many times there is a lot you can learn from failing.

Start Using Bootstrap

Bootstrap, instead, should be thought of as a starting point rather than a full fledged solution. By starting with Bootstrap, you unlock your website or app to the hundreds of other plugins and github projects that have also started with Bootstrap. Having code that has been developed from the same starting point, integrating a WYSIWYG, or a carousel written for Bootstrap is super easy. In addition, the depth of documention, and support on StackOverflow that will directly relate to a bug you run into on some device or browser is priceless.

Another complaint I hear most often in regards to Bootstrap is that now all sites look the same. It’s obvious when you open up a new site and it was written in Bootstrap. A lot of the CSS in Bootstrap isn’t structural, and you can edits the colors, font, etc, very easily. It’s hard to imagine that a third party plugin would break by changing the default background color of a button.

Whether it’s Twitter Bootstrap, Foundation, or any other frontend framework, there are no shortcuts in frontend code.

Front End

1. David Walsh – @davidwalshblog
   Mozilla Web Developer, Front-End Engineer, MooTools Core Developer, Javascript Fanatic, CSS Tinkerer, PHP Hacker, and web lover.
2. Brad Frost – @brad_frost
   I am a web designer, speaker, writer, consultant, musician, and artist in beautiful Pittsburgh, PA. Married to the lovely @minifrost and @ziggyfrost is my dog.
3. Dave Rupert – @davatron5000
   Lead developer for @paravelinc, co-host of @shoptalkshow and @atxwebshow, ❤ @jessrupe, breakfast tacos. (日本語ＯＫ)
4. Divya Manian – @divya
   Open Web Pamphleteer
5. Paul Irish – @paul_irish
   I want the web to win • Chrome dev relations • currently fascinated with front-end tooling and browser devtools • big fan of rye, research and whimsy
6. Jeremy Keith – @adactio
   An Irish web developer living and working in Brighton, England.

CSS

1. Chris Coyier – @chriscoyier
   Designer @CodePen. Writer @real_css_tricks. Podcaster @ShopTalkShow. Lead Hucklebucker.
2. Lea Verou – @LeaVerou
   Developer Relations @W3C (but tweets are personal). Passionate about open web standards, coding, design, UX. Made @prismjs @dabblet @prefixfree. Optimist. INTP.
3. Jackie Balzer – @jackiebackwards
   I write CSS like it’s my job (it is). I lead an army of CSS badasses @Behance. Sass rules. @brianmcallister is my other person. My cat has asthma. I’m awesome.
4. Jonathan Snook – @snookca
   I’m a web designer, developer, speaker, writer, and now product manager. I wrote SMACSS. I work at Shopify.
5. Nicole Sullivan – @stubbornella
   GEEK!

JavaScript

1. Rebecca Murphey – @rmurphey
   JS dev at Bazaarvoice
2. rick waldron – @rwaldron
   JavaScript Evangelist
3. John Resig – @jeresig
   Creator of jQuery, JavaScript programmer, author, Japanese woodblock nerd (http://ukiyo-e.org ), work at Khan Academy.
4. Matt McManus – @mattmcmanus
   Hacking at @punkave. Node.js Application developer, interface designer, server admin, beer & hot sauce maker, pretend farmer, husband & father, Christian
5. Addy Osmani – @addyosmani
   Googler working on Chrome • Author • Yeoman & DevTools • Creator of TodoMVC, Aura, Basket • Passionate about pushing the web forward

WordPress

1. Norcross – @norcross
   I have a cup of coffee hand tattoo and a pet pig. What the fuck else do you want from me? Senior WordPress Developer for @RavenTools. not a city in Georgia.
2. Brian Krogsgard – @Krogsgard
   I enjoy blogging about WordPress and the web. I’m the curator of @post_status. I’m the Lead WordPress Developer @infomediadotcom. Personal account is @bkrogs
3. sara cannon – @saracannon
   I’m an artist & designer. I love WordPress and Typography. I blog at http://sara-cannon.com design portfolio: design.sara-cannon.com – art: art.sara-cannon.com
4. Tom McFarlin – @tommcfarlin
   Self-employed developer who works with WordPress and JavaScript building software for others. WordPress core contributor. Partner at @8BIT.
5. Mike McAlister – @mikemcalister
   WordPress developer, pizza enthusiast, Beatles aficionado, pixel critic. Turning tricks at Okay Themes and ThemeForest. http://oktm.es/onenvato

Other Rock Stars

1. Jessica Hische – @jessicahische
   Mo’ beziers, mo’ problems.
2. Sara Chipps – @SaraJChipps
   I jam with the console cowboys in cyberspace. CTO @levoleague. Made @GirlDevelopIT and @perfect_basics. #levolove JS4life
3. Luke Wroblewski – @lukew
   Digital product design & strategy guy in Silicon Valley, CA. Known for Mobile First, Bagcheck, Web Form Design, Polar & more…
4. Neil deGrasse Tyson – @neiltyson
   Astrophysicist, Am. Museum of Natural History. Author: Space Chronicles, Pluto Files, Inexplicable Universe [Video], Host: StarTalk Radio http://StarTalkRadio.net

So there you have it. Another year, another list. If you have any suggestions of who to follow please add them to the comments and I’ll give them a trial run. Oh, and you can find me on Twitter at pete_schuster.

Sell Yourself

Designs get stale and tastes vary from person to person, so don’t worry so much about the portfolio, focus on yourself. If you don’t have any work to show, or the work that you have isn’t very good, think about what separates your from the pack and work on that. Don’t just throw some jokes together about being a ninja, or guru, or wizard… talk about your strengths and what drives you. It’s easy to be playful, be sincere and get taken seriously.

Limit the Tech

Flashy websites are about as dated as Flash websites. Stick to HTML5 and CSS3 as much as possible. Save the hardcore techie stuff for a “side projects” or “personal projects” portion of your site where you experiment and demo your chops. Checkout Jessica Hishe or Paul Lewis for examples on well executed projects that feel complete and emphasize your interests. If tech is your thing, provide links to your projects, contributions, forks, etc on GitHub.

Keep the design simple. Focus on typography, color, and negative space. Take the time to make the site responsive with a mobile first approach. The how doesn’t matter so much, but if you’re going to make a portfolio site, make one that will last for a long time and that is easy to update and maintain.

Engage the Community

Add a blog to your site and begin to write about your interests, share tips and tutorials, or give your opinion on the happenings of the community. Start a Twitter account, keep update-to-date on what’s going on, and find fuel for your blog entries. Listen to podcasts and learn about the latest “Hot Drama” from shows like ShopTalkShow or Frip Frap.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, you’re selling yourself, not just a set of skills or a list of work. Skills can be taught and good work will come with time, but showing employers that you’re dedicated and passionate will be your most valuable asset.

Users Adapt

Users learn how to filter out the good from the bad, and become increasingly frustrated when something is wasting their time. In this age of information, there is an abundance of choice, and solutions are easily found elsewhere. Content is curated by the masses, filtering out the crap and allowing the signal to rise through the noise.

It’s no longer enough to simply have a website, you have to have a great website. A website that loads quickly and is easy to navigate. A website that doesn’t inundate the user with popups, cross sells, ads, etc that take away from their experience on your site. In Brad’s speech, he talks about how lucky you should feel that users come to your site. By giving them a bad experience or wasting their time, you’re basically slapping them in the face. Don’t slap users in the face… they don’t like it.

It may be obvious, but the content/videos/pictures you release on the web for others to consume should be the best product possible.