# Architecture Portfolio Website: What It Must Do Well A portfolio website is the most shareable version of your architecture portfolio. A link in an email beats an attachment for first contact, and a site that loads fast and reads clearly makes the work the story. ## When you need a website - **Job applications** — many studios prefer a link over a PDF for the first look. - **Networking** — a link is easy to put in a signature or send in a message. - **Freelance and client work** — clients want to skim your work quickly. - **A growing portfolio** — a site is easier to update than re-exporting a PDF. ## What a portfolio website must show The same discipline as the printed book: 1. **Selected projects** — 4–6 strong, complete projects, not everything you've done. 2. **Fast entry** — the first screen should show work or a clear path to it, not a long manifesto. 3. **Project pages** — each with narrative, process and resolution, the same structure as the PDF. 4. **Contact and context** — who you are, where you're based, your CV, an easy contact route. ## What to avoid - A slow, animation-heavy landing page - A gallery with no captions or project context - Every project at equal weight — sequence matters online too - Autoplaying video everywhere ## Performance matters Recruiters and clients open links on phones and laptops with indifferent connections. Keep it fast: - Compress images and use responsive sizing - Lazy-load images below the fold - Avoid heavy frameworks for a simple portfolio - Test the load on a phone A fast, clean site makes the work look better than a slow elaborate one. ## PDF or website? Use both for different jobs: the [PDF](/architecture/architecture-portfolio-pdf/) for formal applications that request a file, the website for links, networking and a live reference. Keep them consistent — the same projects, the same order, the same standard. ## DIY options Simple static-site tools and portfolio builders can produce excellent results without a designer. The key is not the tool but the editing: which projects, what order, what story. The [layout guide](/architecture/architecture-portfolio-layout/) applies online as much as in print. If you want portfolio website tools built for architects, [join the Architecture beta](/architecture/#beta).