I spent my vacation building a portfolio I'd actually be proud to share.

Kunal Gupta — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 18:23:23 +0000

For the longest time, I didn't have a portfolio.

Not because I couldn't build one.

I just didn't want to publish something I wouldn't be proud of.

When my vacation started, I finally had the time to build one with one simple rule:

If it felt generic, I wasn't shipping it.

That decision shaped every part of the project.

A portfolio is more than a list of projects.

It's your first impression.

Long before someone reads your résumé, opens your GitHub profile, or scrolls through your projects, they've already started forming an opinion about your work.

That made me think differently about what a portfolio should do.

Instead of asking,

"How do I showcase my projects?"

I started asking,

"What does this portfolio say about me before anyone reads a single word?"

That question shaped almost every decision that followed.

Good-looking wasn't good enough.

The early versions looked polished.

Background videos.

Modern layouts.

Smooth animations.

Individually, they worked.

Together, they felt like something I'd already seen.

So I kept rebuilding.

Not because they were poorly designed.

Because they didn't feel like mine.

The first impression starts before the homepage.

The first thing visitors see isn't the homepage.

It's a short loading sequence.

I wanted the portfolio to feel intentional from the very first interaction—not because loading screens are necessary, but because they set the pace before the rest of the experience begins.

It's a small detail.

Most people won't think twice about it.

But those small details are exactly what I spent the most time obsessing over.

The details mattered more than I expected.

One thing surprised me while building this portfolio.

The biggest improvements rarely came from adding something new.

They came from refining what was already there.

Adjusting spacing.

Changing typography.

Removing visual noise.

Tweaking animations until they felt natural.

Individually, those changes are easy to miss.

Together, they're what make the experience feel intentional.

Thanks for stopping by.

Like every personal project, this wouldn't be the last version.

If you have a few minutes to explore it, I'd genuinely appreciate your thoughts.

Design
User experience
Performance
Accessibility
Overall presentation

🌐 Portfolio: its-me-kunal

🧑🏻‍💻 GitHub: Kunal241207

If you enjoy the work, a follow on GitHub or a ⭐ on one of my projects would mean a lot.

Thanks for reading.

Breaking into Open Source - From First PR to BLT Contributor

Kunal Gupta — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 14:52:42 +0000

Getting Started with Coding

Hi, I’m Kunal Gupta, a first-year Computer Science student specializing in AI/ML and actively exploring open source and real-world software development.

Before joining college, I had almost no prior knowledge of programming. Python was the first programming language I learned, along with other technologies introduced during my classes. At that time, however, I didn’t fully understand how these skills translated into real-world software development.

My first hands-on experience came when I learned basic HTML and CSS and built a static gaming-themed website inspired by Apex Legends. It was a simple project, but it gave me the confidence that I could actually build something from scratch.

Exploring Programming and Open Source

Around the same time, I discovered Hacktoberfest and decided to participate. This was my first real exposure to open source. I learned the basic contribution workflow and became more familiar with GitHub.

After that, I continued learning JavaScript and exploring different frameworks. I also developed a strong interest in Data Structures and Competitive Programming. Practicing on LeetCode improved my problem-solving skills, and so far I have solved more than 260 problems.

Although I had heard about Google Summer of Code even before joining college, I wasn’t familiar with sustained collaboration in large projects. I struggled to find meaningful issues, understand unfamiliar codebases, and stay active across organizations. I contributed to several projects, but I was still searching for a place where I could grow steadily as a contributor.

Discovering OWASP

Eventually, I came across OWASP, a security-focused open source organization. At that time, the idea of contributing to a real-world security project made me curious to explore further.

I began contributing to the OWASP www-community repository. My first pull request there was not perfect, but the maintainer Rick Mitchell provided helpful feedback that allowed me to improve my approach. Then I eventually got around six pull requests merged in that repository while improving my understanding of collaboration and contribution standards.

Contributing to OWASP BLT

After that, I wanted to work on a more product-focused project and started exploring OWASP BLT (Bug Logging Tool). Understanding the codebase was challenging at first, but I gradually began identifying small issues such as minor logic gaps and workflow inconsistencies, and began working on small fixes.

Seeing my pull request get merged within a few hours was incredibly motivating. It made me feel that my contributions were genuinely valuable.

I joined the Slack community and continued contributing across different parts of the BLT ecosystem. I also began reaching out to the BLT project lead, Donnie Brown, whenever I had doubts about architectural decisions or contribution workflow. These interactions helped me better understand the project’s evolution and contribute more effectively.

So far, I’ve had around 12 pull requests merged in BLT and have become more comfortable navigating real-world project workflows.

Why BLT

What made BLT interesting to me was that it wasn't just a repository for small beginner fixes. The project has a real product behind it, which meant even small contributions required understanding how different parts of the application worked together.

The issues encouraged me to go beyond surface-level fixes. Each pull request helped me understand a little more about how the system worked.

Preparing for Google Summer of Code

As I continue contributing, I am now preparing my Google Summer of Code proposal with OWASP BLT. This phase has involved exploring different repositories within the ecosystem, discussing potential proposal directions with mentors, and focusing on areas where sustained contributions can create meaningful impact.

Rather than seeing GSoC as just a goal, I now view it as an opportunity to deepen my involvement in a project and community that has already shaped my growth significantly.

Looking Ahead

What started as simple curiosity about coding has gradually turned into a structured open source journey. Along the way, I’ve learned technical skills, collaboration practices, and the importance of persistence.

I plan to continue contributing actively to OWASP BLT, refine my proposal, and keep building real-world development experience through open source. I’m excited to see how this journey evolves in the coming months.

One thing I’ve realized during this journey is that breaking into open source is less about being highly skilled from the beginning, and more about staying consistent, asking questions, and learning in public.

Connect With Me

You can check out my contributions here:
GitHub: https://github.com/Kunal241207

You can also connect with me here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kunal-gupta-2285b4378