I Built My Developer Portfolio Using Next.js

Aasif Ashraf — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:46:41 +0000

I Built My Developer Portfolio Using Next.js (100 Lighthouse Score)

I recently built and deployed my personal portfolio using Next.js, focusing on performance, clean UI, and best practices. One of my main goals was to create a fast and accessible experience — and I managed to achieve a perfect 100 score across all Lighthouse metrics.

In this project, I focused on:

Optimized performance and SEO
Clean and minimal UI/UX
Scalable and production-ready structure

I’d really appreciate any feedback from the community — especially on design, structure, or anything I can improve.

https://aasifashraf.dev/

I Built My Developer Portfolio Using Next.js (100 Lighthouse Score) I recently built and deployed my personal portfolio using Next.js, focusing on performance, clean UI, and best practices. One of my main goals was to create a fast and accessible exper

Aasif Ashraf — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:19:55 +0000

I Built a Production-Ready Express.js Backend Scaffolder and It Reached 1,500 Downloads in 2 Days

Aasif Ashraf — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 06:02:45 +0000

Starting a new Node.js and Express project should feel exciting.

For me, it usually started the same way rewriting the exact same setup every time:

Configure Express
Set up CORS
Add dotenv
Write global error handling
Organize folders
Standardize API responses
Configure middleware

None of this work is difficult. It’s just repetitive.

After doing this across multiple projects, I realized I was spending more time rebuilding structure than actually solving problems. So I decided to automate it.

The Idea

I built create-express-kickstart, a CLI tool that scaffolds a production-ready Express backend with sensible defaults and a clean structure.

The goal wasn’t to replace Express or introduce another framework.

It was simple:

Start from a solid baseline and focus on building features instead of rewriting boilerplate.

Quick Start

npx create-express-kickstart@latest my-app

Within seconds, you get a structured backend ready to build on.

What It Sets Up

Out of the box, the project includes:

Clean and scalable folder structure
Centralized error handling
Middleware configuration
Environment setup using .env
CORS configuration
Standardized API response patterns
Organized routing structure

It’s essentially the setup I found myself recreating manually for every project.

Why I Built It

Many tutorials focus on getting Express running quickly, which is great for learning.

But real projects usually need more structure almost immediately.

I wanted a starting point that:

Feels close to something you could actually deploy
Encourages consistency across projects
Remains simple without unnecessary abstraction

Basically, a backend I wouldn’t dread inheriting six months later.

The Early Response

After publishing it to npm, the package crossed around 1,500 downloads in two days.

I understand npm downloads aren’t perfect metrics. They can include CI installs and automated pulls.

Still, seeing people try it, discuss it, and give feedback was encouraging — especially as a first public package.

What I Learned

Publishing something publicly feels very different from building it privately.

A few takeaways:

1. Practical tools resonate

Developers appreciate solutions that remove repetitive work.

2. Feedback comes quickly

Some people were supportive. Some were skeptical. That’s part of open source.

3. Shipping matters more than perfection

I considered waiting until it felt more complete. I’m glad I didn’t.

What’s Next

I’m continuing to improve it based on feedback.

Some things I’m exploring:

Optional database integrations
Authentication starter modules
Better CLI customization
Optional testing setup

If you have suggestions or think something important is missing, I’d genuinely like to hear them.

Project Links

GitHub Repository:

https://github.com/aasifashraf/create-express-kickstart

npm Package:

https://www.npmjs.com/package/create-express-kickstart

Thanks for reading.

DEV Community: Aasif Ashraf