Unit Build: First Portfolio Checkpoint

Unit 1 ends with a working site, but the site itself is only half the evidence.

You also need to prove that you understand the build you just ran.

Required project state

Your portfolio should have a clean source structure similar to:

my-portfolio/
├── Gemfile
├── Gemfile.lock      # if produced/used in your environment
└── index.html

A build should produce a destination such as:

_site/
└── index.html

Your environment may contain additional Bundler/Jekyll files. Explain them rather than deleting unfamiliar files blindly.

Portfolio content

Your first page should contain:

• your name or chosen public identity;
• a short introduction;
• one "About" section;
• one "What I Build / Want to Build" section; and
• no information you would not intentionally publish.

Do not spend an hour making it pretty.

Unit 5 exists for that.

Verification run

Complete all five checks.

1. Clean source check

Point to the source file you intentionally edit.

2. Dependency check

Point to the file that declares the Jekyll dependency.

3. Build check

Run:

bundle exec jekyll build

Save one line or screenshot of build evidence.

4. Destination check

Inspect _site/index.html and identify one line that came from your source.

5. Serve check

Run the local development server and open the address it reports.

Controlled revision

Change one sentence in source.

Before saving, write the expected browser result.

Build/serve again.

Record expected vs observed.

If they differ, diagnose before moving on.

Architecture evidence

Use the flow below to explain the build path, then replace generic labels in your written defense with at least two real filenames or commands from your project.

Concept flow

How a Jekyll project becomes a page in the browser

Jekyll is the build step between the files students author and the static site the browser receives.

1. Source filesGemfile, pages, Markdown, front matter, layouts, and includes.
   read by
2. Jekyll buildbundle exec jekyll build combines project files and dependencies.
   writes
3. _site outputGenerated HTML/CSS/static files become build evidence, not normal source.
   served by
4. Local serverjekyll serve exposes the generated site at a local address.
   requested by
5. BrowserThe browser renders the generated page students can inspect and defend.

Unit defense

Answer without copying from the lesson:

1. What does Jekyll do that the browser does not?
2. Why is _site evidence but not your normal authoring source?
3. Why does the project keep a Gemfile?
4. What is the difference between build and serve?
5. Describe one failure you created and the evidence that located it.
6. What personal information did you deliberately keep out of the portfolio?

Ready for Unit 2?

Move on when:

• the site builds;
• the site serves locally;
• you can reproduce the build;
• your source/output distinction is clear;
• your failure record has a bounded diagnosis; and
• the portfolio page contains only information you intentionally chose to publish.

Unit 2 will make the source more powerful by adding Markdown, YAML front matter, and Liquid.