Alex Carter
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Why I stopped using a CMS for my portfolio

Three typed data files beat WordPress for a personal site — here's the tradeoff.

Most portfolios don't need a CMS. They need clarity, a handful of case studies, and a contact form that works.

I used to wire every personal site to a headless CMS. Then I'd spend a weekend fighting content models for five projects and three testimonials. The content barely changed twice a year.

What changed

Folio keeps everything in TypeScript (and Markdown for this blog). You edit a file, commit, deploy. No dashboard login. No "sync failed" toast. No monthly CMS bill for a site that gets 200 visits a month.

When a CMS still wins

  • A team of non-developers updating copy weekly
  • Hundreds of posts with editors and drafts
  • Localization workflows with translators

If that's not you, skip the CMS. Ship the portfolio instead.

Folio template · $39

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