Complete guide to creating, managing, and maintaining individual project pages for your agricultural technology portfolio with consistent design and functionality.
Complete step-by-step guide to creating, managing, and maintaining individual project pages for your agricultural technology portfolio. Learn how to build consistent, professional project showcases that effectively communicate your technical capabilities and agricultural expertise.
Before diving into creating new project pages, it's essential to understand how the portfolio file structure is organized. This foundation will help you maintain consistency and avoid common pitfalls that can break navigation or styling across your site.
This nested folder approach creates clean URLs (like yoursite.com/featured-projects/projects/crop-health-dashboard/) while keeping files organized. Each project gets its own dedicated folder, making it easy to add additional resources like images, documentation, or related files in the future.
The most critical aspect of the file structure is understanding how navigation paths work. When you're on a project page that's nested three levels deep (featured-projects/projects/your-project/), you need to use the correct relative paths to link back to other sections of your portfolio.
<!-- From a project page to main portfolio -->
<a href="../../../">Home</a>
<!-- From a project page to the projects listing -->
<a href="../../">All Projects</a>
<!-- From a project page to other main sections -->
<a href="../../../about/">About</a>
<a href="../../../learning-journey/">Learning Journey</a>Your project pages need to feel like natural extensions of your main portfolio. This means maintaining the same visual language, color scheme, typography, and interaction patterns. The design system is built around CSS custom properties (variables) that ensure consistency across all pages.
Every project page should use the same color palette (agricultural greens and gold accents), typography scale (Inter font with fluid sizing), spacing system (consistent margins and padding), and component styling (buttons, cards, and navigation elements should look identical across pages).
:root {
/* Color system for agricultural technology branding */
--accent-primary: #598216; /* Avocado Green */
--accent-secondary: #C7A54E; /* Aztec Gold */
--accent-tertiary: #25963E; /* Sea Green */
/* Background and surface colors */
--bg-primary: #0d1117;
--bg-secondary: #161b22;
--surface: #30363d;
/* Typography system with fluid scaling */
--font-primary: 'Inter', sans-serif;
--font-mono: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace;
/* Consistent spacing scale */
--space-xs: clamp(0.5rem, 0.4rem + 0.5vw, 0.75rem);
--space-md: clamp(1rem, 0.8rem + 1vw, 1.5rem);
--space-xl: clamp(2rem, 1.6rem + 2vw, 3rem);
}Creating a new project page involves several interconnected steps. We'll walk through each one methodically, building your understanding as we progress from basic setup to advanced customization techniques.
Before writing any code, spend time planning your project's story. What problem does it solve? What technologies will you use? What makes it uniquely valuable for agricultural professionals? This planning phase will guide all your content decisions and help you create a compelling narrative.
Start by creating a new folder in your featured-projects/projects/ directory. Use a descriptive, URL-friendly name that clearly identifies your project. For example, if you're building a "Smart Irrigation Control System," you might name the folder smart-irrigation-control.
# Navigate to your projects directory
cd featured-projects/projects/
# Create your new project folder
mkdir your-project-name
# Create the main project file
cd your-project-name
touch index.html
# Your structure should now look like:
# featured-projects/projects/your-project-name/index.htmlUse lowercase letters, hyphens instead of spaces, and descriptive names. Avoid special characters, numbers at the beginning, or overly long names. Good examples: precision-planting-system, soil-health-monitor. Poor examples: Project1, my_cool_app, super-amazing-agricultural-technology-platform.
Rather than starting from scratch, begin with one of the existing project pages as a template. This ensures you maintain consistency and saves significant development time. Choose the template that most closely matches your project type.
For data-focused projects (analytics, databases, APIs), use the Agricultural Spatial Database template. For user-interface projects (dashboards, applications, monitoring systems), use the Crop Health Dashboard template.
<!-- Step 1: Update the page title and meta description -->
<title>Your Project Name | Agricultural Technology Project | Techgronomist</title>
<meta name="description" content="Your compelling project description that explains the agricultural value and technical approach.">
<!-- Step 2: Update breadcrumb navigation -->
<div class="breadcrumb">
<a href="../../">Home</a>
<span>/</span>
<a href="../">Projects</a>
<span>/</span>
<span>Your Project Name</span>
</div>
<!-- Step 3: Replace project title and description -->
<h1 class="project-title">Your Project Name</h1>
<p class="project-subtitle">
Your detailed project description that explains what it does,
who it helps, and why it matters for modern agriculture.
</p>Now comes the creative part: tailoring the content to tell your project's unique story. This involves updating several key sections while maintaining the overall structure and design patterns.
Project Meta Information: Update the technology tags, status badges, and category labels to reflect your specific project. These small details help visitors quickly understand what your project is about and what technologies are involved.
<!-- Update project metadata to reflect your specific project -->
<div class="project-meta">
<div class="meta-item">
<span class="meta-icon">🚜</span>
<span class="meta-text">Precision Equipment</span>
</div>
<div class="meta-item">
<span class="meta-icon">📡</span>
<span class="meta-text">IoT Integration</span>
</div>
<!-- Add more meta items as needed -->
</div>
<!-- Update technology stack -->
<div class="tech-list">
<span class="tech-tag">Python</span>
<span class="tech-tag">Arduino</span>
<span class="tech-tag">LoRaWAN</span>
<!-- Include only technologies you're actually using -->
</div>Write in a way that's accessible to both technical and non-technical audiences. Explain agricultural concepts for developers and technical concepts for farmers. Use specific, concrete examples rather than vague descriptions. Instead of "improves efficiency," say "reduces water usage by 30% while maintaining crop yields."
The HTML structure of your project pages follows semantic principles that improve both accessibility and search engine optimization. Understanding this structure will help you create pages that are not only visually appealing but also technically sound and accessible to all users.
Every project page uses a consistent semantic structure that screen readers and search engines can easily understand. The main sections are clearly defined with appropriate HTML5 semantic elements.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<!-- Essential meta tags for proper rendering and SEO -->
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Project Name | Agricultural Technology | Techgronomist</title>
<meta name="description" content="Detailed description for search engines">
</head>
<body>
<!-- Navigation section (consistent across all pages) -->
<nav class="nav">...</nav>
<!-- Project header with title and overview -->
<section class="project-header">...</section>
<!-- Main project overview content -->
<section class="project-overview">...</section>
<!-- Technical implementation details -->
<section class="technical-details">...</section>
<!-- Optional: Additional project-specific sections -->
<section class="custom-section">...</section>
<!-- Footer (consistent across all pages) -->
<footer class="footer">...</footer>
</body>
</html>Accessibility isn't just about compliance—it's about creating inclusive experiences that work for everyone. Your project pages should be navigable by keyboard, readable by screen readers, and usable by people with various abilities.
<!-- Always include proper alt text for images -->
<img src="dashboard-screenshot.jpg"
alt="Crop health dashboard showing NDVI analysis with red stress areas highlighted">
<!-- Use proper heading hierarchy -->
<h1>Project Title</h1>
<h2>Overview Section</h2>
<h3>Subsection</h3>
<h2>Technical Details</h2>
<!-- Provide meaningful link text -->
<a href="github.com/yourrepo">View source code on GitHub</a>
<!-- Not: <a href="...">Click here</a> -->
<!-- Include ARIA labels for interactive elements -->
<button aria-label="Open mobile navigation menu">☰</button>The CSS system is built around custom properties (CSS variables) that ensure consistency while allowing for project-specific customizations. Understanding how these variables work will help you maintain visual consistency while adding your own creative touches.
The design system uses a hierarchical approach to CSS variables. Core system variables (colors, fonts, spacing) remain consistent across all pages, while component-specific variables allow for subtle customizations that reflect each project's unique characteristics.
:root {
/* Core system variables - NEVER change these */
--accent-primary: #598216;
--bg-primary: #0d1117;
--font-primary: 'Inter', sans-serif;
/* Spacing system - consistent across all components */
--space-xs: clamp(0.5rem, 0.4rem + 0.5vw, 0.75rem);
--space-md: clamp(1rem, 0.8rem + 1vw, 1.5rem);
--space-xl: clamp(2rem, 1.6rem + 2vw, 3rem);
/* Component-specific variables - safe to customize */
--project-accent: var(--accent-primary); /* Can override for specific projects */
--feature-card-bg: var(--gradient-secondary);
}
/* Example: Database project uses sea green accent */
.database-highlight {
--project-accent: var(--accent-tertiary);
background: linear-gradient(135deg,
rgba(37, 150, 62, 0.1),
rgba(89, 130, 22, 0.05)
);
}While maintaining overall consistency, you can add subtle customizations that reflect your project's personality. This might include using different accent colors for specific elements, adding custom animations, or creating unique layout variations.
You can safely customize accent colors for specific components, background gradients and patterns, hover effects and animations, spacing within custom sections, and border styles and shadows. Always maintain the core color palette and typography system.
After creating a new project page, you need to add it to your main projects listing so visitors can discover it. This involves updating the featured-projects index page and potentially the main portfolio page if it's a featured project.
Open your featured-projects/index.html file and locate the projects grid section. You'll add a new project card that follows the established pattern while reflecting your specific project's details.
<!-- Add this to the projects-grid section -->
<div class="project-card observe-fade-in" data-category="your-category automation">
<div class="project-image">
<img src="path-to-your-image.jpg" alt="Your project description">
<div class="project-status development">In Development</div>
</div>
<div class="project-content">
<div class="project-header">
<div class="project-category">Your Category</div>
<h3 class="project-title">Your Project Name</h3>
</div>
<p class="project-description">
Compelling description that explains what your project does
and why it matters for agricultural professionals.
</p>
<div class="project-features">
<h4>Key Features</h4>
<ul class="feature-list">
<li>Feature one that solves a specific problem</li>
<li>Feature two that adds unique value</li>
<li>Feature three that demonstrates innovation</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="project-tech">
<div class="tech-tags">
<span class="tech-tag">Python</span>
<span class="tech-tag">Your-Tech</span>
<!-- Include relevant technologies -->
</div>
</div>
<div class="project-links">
<a href="projects/your-project-folder/" class="project-link primary">
View Project
<span>🚀</span>
</a>
<a href="#" class="project-link">
GitHub
<span>📁</span>
</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>The data-category attribute is crucial for the filtering system. It allows visitors to filter projects by type, making it easier to find relevant work. Choose categories that accurately represent your project's focus and application area.
Current categories include: precision-ag (precision agriculture applications), data-analysis (analytics and data processing), geospatial (mapping and spatial analysis), automation (automated systems and IoT), and learning (educational projects and prototypes). You can combine multiple categories by separating them with spaces.
Establish a consistent workflow for managing project content as you develop your actual implementations. This proactive approach will save time and maintain quality as your portfolio grows.
Performance matters, especially for a portfolio that showcases technical expertise. Visitors should experience fast load times and smooth interactions that reflect your attention to detail and technical competence.
Images are typically the largest assets on your project pages. Optimizing them properly can dramatically improve load times without sacrificing visual quality. Use modern image formats and implement proper loading strategies.
<!-- Use modern image formats with fallbacks -->
<picture>
<source srcset="dashboard-hero.webp" type="image/webp">
<source srcset="dashboard-hero.avif" type="image/avif">
<img src="dashboard-hero.jpg"
alt="Crop health dashboard interface showing field analysis"
loading="lazy"
width="800"
height="600">
</picture>
<!-- For project thumbnails, include size hints -->
<img src="project-thumb.jpg"
alt="Project thumbnail"
loading="lazy"
width="400"
height="300"
sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 400px">While your current setup embeds styles and scripts directly in HTML files (which is fine for a portfolio), understanding optimization principles will help you write more efficient code and prepare for potential future improvements.
Minimize CSS and JavaScript where possible, use efficient selectors and avoid deeply nested CSS rules, implement intersection observers for animations to improve performance, lazy-load images and non-critical content, and test performance regularly on slower devices and connections.
As you develop more project pages, you'll encounter common issues. Understanding these challenges and their solutions will help you maintain a robust, reliable portfolio.
The most common issue is broken navigation links caused by incorrect relative paths. When links don't work or lead to 404 errors, it's usually because the relative path doesn't match the actual file structure.
<!-- Current location: featured-projects/projects/your-project/index.html -->
<!-- CORRECT paths from project page -->
<a href="../../../">Home</a> <!-- Goes to root -->
<a href="../../">All Projects</a> <!-- Goes to featured-projects/ -->
<a href="../../../about/">About</a> <!-- Goes to about/ -->
<!-- INCORRECT paths (common mistakes) -->
<a href="../../index.html">Home</a> <!-- Wrong: points to projects list -->
<a href="../">All Projects</a> <!-- Wrong: too few levels up -->
<a href="/about/">About</a> <!-- Wrong: absolute path won't work on GitHub Pages -->Sometimes project pages look different from the main portfolio due to missing CSS variables or incorrect class names. This usually happens when copying and modifying template code without careful attention to the existing class structure.
Missing CSS custom properties in the :root section, incorrect class names that don't match the design system, conflicting styles that override the main design system, missing responsive design considerations for mobile devices, and broken animations due to missing intersection observer setup.
As your agricultural technology skills develop and you create actual implementations of these projects, you'll want to update your portfolio pages to reflect reality. Planning for this evolution from the beginning will make the process much smoother.
Design your project pages with evolution in mind. Use placeholder content that can be easily replaced, structure your HTML to accommodate real screenshots and data, and maintain clear separation between conceptual content and implementation details.
This guide provides the foundation for creating professional project pages, but remember that your portfolio is a living document of your growth as an agricultural technologist. As you progress through your 28-week curriculum and beyond, continuously refine these pages to reflect your expanding expertise and real-world implementations.