Refactoring My Website

Version 2.0 of my website is finally here, and I couldn’t be more excited! This update represents a significant improvement, as I’ve spent countless hours refining the design and learning how various elements of web development come together. Unlike my previous versions, this iteration feels truly like my own. I originally took inspiration from Dr. Aaron Meyer’s website at UCLA (ameyer.me) and his GitHub repository. His site is built on the default jekyll new framework but incorporates some major SCSS changes that I found useful. My previous website was based on the Jekyll Chirpy theme, which, while visually appealing, was too restrictive for customization. I wanted more flexibility, so I decided to start fresh using a base Jekyll setup and incorporate elements from Aaron’s site. This transition allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of Jekyll’s core structure, including _includes/, _layouts/, and _plugins/, as well as asset management with CSS, SCSS, and JavaScript files. Through this process, I’ve grown much more confident in making changes to my website. Instead of fearing potential bugs or breaking something, I now see these as opportunities to enhance the site’s functionality and design. This newfound confidence has made web development a much more enjoyable and creative process for me.

While I’m proud of v2.0, there are still several improvements I plan to implement. One major addition will be a dedicated /slides/ page that displays a card-based list of all my slides, separate from the homepage. Additionally, I need to make the site more mobile-friendly. Right now, the fixed min-width of 1000px isn’t ideal for smaller screens, so I plan to introduce a more responsive design that adapts dynamically to different devices. I also want to acknowledge the invaluable role that large language models (LLMs) played in this process. From troubleshooting code to refining design elements, AI has been an essential tool in helping me navigate challenges and implement solutions efficiently. Overall, this update marks a huge step forward in my journey with web development. I’m excited to continue refining my site, experimenting with new features, and sharing what I learn along the way. Stay tuned for future updates!